The Armagnac guide
Tasting
The Muret Bas Armagnacs are famed for the different and subtle flavours reaching from violet to caramel over prunes. The brandies of each vintage and even of each barrel have their own characteristics but they are all markedly known as belonging to this prestigious terroir.
How to taste Armagnac?
Armagnac requires special attention when tasting to enjoy all its potential.
Armagnac is a spirit aged in barrels and, once it has been bottled, it no longer changes. The first sense we used when tasting Armagnac is our eyesight. Armagnac’s colour depends on its age, going from pale to fiery red.
Traditionally, Armagnac is drunk in a tulip glass for its aroma to be concentrated, at room temperature, and at the end of the meal : when eating cheese (including blue cheese), dessert (may we advise you to drink it with dark chocolat flavoured desserts) or as a digestif. However, it may also be enjoyed during the meal itself, as its flavour is a good match with duck, game, and even some fish or seafood.
Ideally you should let your glass be aired for about twenty minutes for Armagnac to develop its full aroma. If you turn it at eye level, you’ll notice the fiery red colour typical of Armagnac and, if you pay attention, you’ll see its tears dripping down slowly against the glass – this indicates the alcohol content of your Armagnac.
When you’ve finished contemplating your Armagnac, your smelling senses will step in. We recommend that you first smell Armagnac at chin height to notice its wood and fruit flavours without being troubled by alcohol.
Then, when smelling it a second time, you’ll fully register all its notes. This olfactory examination enables you to remember all the smells to be prepared for tasting.
Finally, the most enjoyable part comes with your tasting buds that will feel all the Armagnac flavours :the tasting process will then be thorough!
First take a small sip that you will « chew » for the flavours to soak into your palate ; you’ll notive all the wealth of this brandy as you take further sips. When tasting further, you’ll definitely notice other subtle flavours of prune, violet and caramel that give the Armagnac Corderoy® its prestige and pride as weel as its sweetness and fire.
Armagnac vs. Cognac
Armagnac and Cognac are two famous French brandies. Both age in oak barrels and have a guaranteed vintage (“appellation d’origine contrôlée” AOC). Making these brandies belongs to France’s immaterial cultural heritage. However, despite some points in common, both brandies (“brandy”is derived from the English word meaning “burnt wine”) have the own particulars.
Terroir
The Armagnac vineyards are located in the South-West of France and cover the departments of Lot-et-Garonne, Landes and Gers.
Cognac is produced in the departments of Charente, Charente-Maritime, Dordogne and Deux-Sèvres.
Distillation
Distillation is one of the main steps when preparing these brandies.
Distillation of Armagnac is done in one single step using a continuous Armagnac alambic. This process results in a brandy reaching between 52% and 72% alcohol.
As to Cognac, it’s heated twice with double distillation alambic (also named « cognacais”), thus reaching an alcohol amount reaching between 70% and 72% called double distilled.
Grapes
Armagnac is made from different grapes: you mainly find white Ugni, Baco, Folle Blanche and Colombard whereas Cognac is made with over 97% distilled white Ugni.
A more ecological distillation ?
Since it’s only distilled once, Armagnac requires less energy to be produced. The continuous alambic invented in 1818 enables the wine to be used as a cooler for the steam. Apart from the mixture of grape must with steam that increases the warm taste of the brandy produced, this invention comes along with true energy savings. Armagnac can therefore pride itself with being a « greener » brandy than its competitor from Charente!
46 rue de Varenne 75007 Paris, France
1130 route de Gaube 40190 Perquie, France
Tél +33 (0) 5 58 03 31 21
SMS +33 (0) 6 86 10 75 51
armagnac.corderoy@orange.fr
46 rue de Varenne 75007 Paris, France
1130 route de Gaube 40190 Perquie, France
Tél +33 (0) 5 58 03 31 21
SMS +33 (0) 6 86 10 75 51
armagnac.corderoy@orange.fr
