Armagnac
D’Artagnan, King Louis XIV’s favorite musketeer, is Armagnac, the brandy, on two legs—rustic, robust, full of body, character and grip, and, one might venture to say, fragrance.
(Armagnac, therefore, is not Cognac. Though both are French brandies, the latter is more elegant and refined. It’s something like the Parisian, Aramis—though a friend of d’Artagnan, nonetheless the most effete of the three musketeers.)
Both d’Artagnan and Armagnac come from Gascony (in French, Gascogne), about 100 miles south of Bordeaux near the Atlantic Ocean. The production of Armagnac pre-dates that of Cognac by some centuries.
Even so, Armagnac was never as well known or appreciated as Cognac because the lack of any large river ways secluded Gascony, unlike Cognac, from commerce. Nevertheless, like Cognac, the 17th century brought Dutch shippers who found ready trade in both brandies—and Armagnac gained in prominence.
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The districts of Armagnac, spread over 133 square miles, are three: Bas Armagnac, Ténarèze and the Haut Armagnac. Many aficionados feel that, if an Armagnac comes from any of the three areas but Bas Armagnac, it is not Armagnac.
The soil of Bas Armagnac differs from than that of the other two districts and consequently renders an Armagnac that, while still robust as Armagnac must be, is more elegant. It also is more redolent of the telltale and distinctive aromas and flavors of Armagnac, those of prunes and plums. (In French, while bas means “low” or “lower,” the designation, in this instance, means merely that it is lower in altitude than the other two areas.)
Armagnac is also produced in a very different manner than Cognac. In Cognac, wine made of the ubiquitous and vapid grape, Ugni Blanc, finds itself distilled into Armagnac only about half the time, often less. The rest comes from grapes greater in flavor and character—something they give over to Armagnac.
The grape Folle Blanche delivers on fruit and flower; the Colombard, perfume and flesh; and the Baco 22A (a hybrid and the most favored), corpulence and more fruit. Unfortunately, after 2010, hybrids will not be permitted in French wine.
Distillation of Armagnac also differs from the alembic, two-step distillation in Cognac (which much explains Cognac’s refinement). Most Armagnac is distilled in a continuous still, a long but essentially one-step process that passes the initial distillate back over the incoming wine.
Such a distillation retains much of the force of the wine from which it is made—the whole idea behind Armagnac. (Some newer, worldlier Armagnac producers wish to emulate Cognac and, so, utilize alembic double distillation.)
Also unlike Cognac, Armagnac is aged in barrels made from strains of oak that give slightly rougher, more earthy aromas and flavors than the fine-grained oak destined for Cognac. However, Armagnac, as it ages, performs much as Cognac or any well-made brandy does: it evaporates its water and alcohol, concentrating (even more) its full, rich and layered aromas and flavors.
Armagnacs are sold with three different designations: as blended brandies labeled VS, VSOP, XO or Hors d’Age* that designate the minimum age of the youngest brandy in the mix; by years of time in barrel; and by vintage.
Keep in mind that any spirit gains in age and complexity only in wood. So, while many Armagnacs are sold with vintage dates, attend as well to the bottling date (which must be on the label).
So, for example, a 1950 Armagnac taken from barrel, bottled in 1975 and purchased today and an Armagnac distilled in 1975, bottled in 2000 and bought today are “of the same age,” that is, the same level of maturity—25 years old.
Also, unlike Cognac (which may be enjoyed a mere 4-5 years old), a truly fine Armagnac is 10, 12 even 20 or more years old.
As for Armagnacs designated with all those tic-tac-toe letters—XO, and the like—it’s difficult to tell if much very old Armagnac has been blended in, because these labels stipulate only how old the youngest brandy is. As with many things, though, if it is expensive, such an Armagnac probably has many years in it.
How to enjoy Armagnac
• Unlike undistilled wine, Armagnacs do not age further after bottling. But do not lay them on their sides, for in time their higher alcohol eats away at cork. But like undistilled wine once opened, a bottle of Armagnac does not last forever—however high its alcohol. One or 1½ years, and oxygen wreaks its inevitable toll.
• Giant, terrarium-like balloon snifters are foolish because they fart away those subtle aromas reached after so many years of careful aging.
• Use a small, chimney-shaped glass, as they do in Armagnac itself.
• Never, ever warm a glass with anything but the cradle of your hand.
• Finally, don’t stick your nose into the glass, Sideways-like. A sniff of Armagnac has “nose zones.” So, swirl the glass lightly (constant twirling is a needless affectation) and find these zones.
Hold the rim a bit away from, not directly under, your nose. That is the “comfort zone” (too close, and Armagnac burns). The aromas wafting up high, as if you were looking over the glass, smell of dark fruits such as plums. Down low, pouring over the lower rim of the glass as if the scent were a waterfall, Armagnac smells of the “'heavier” aromas of prunes, caramel, roasted nuts or toffee. In the middle, Armagnac smells like dried apricots or (lightly) of wood.
*VS (Very Superior) = the youngest spirit blended in is no less than 2½ years old; VSOP (Very Superior Old Pale), VO (Very Old), Réserve = the youngest is at least 5 years; XO (Extra Old), Extra, Vieille Réserve, etc. = at least 6 years; Hors d’Age = at least 10 years. (If named by years of age, then the amount of time for the whole unblended lot. If by vintage date, then only that named year’s brandy.]