Cles des Ducs Armagnac XO, 0,7 L, 40%

Cles des Ducs Armagnac XO, 0.7 L, 40%

A brandy with tradition

If you ask about brandy from France, you'll probably only hear "Cognac"! Sometimes people will then add that there is also Armagnac, "a type of small Cognac from a different region". Statements like this quickly make it clear that Armagnac has a prestige problem. Unfortunately, it has only itself to blame for this, as at the height of its popularity in the middle of the 20th century, some manufacturers preferred to offer quantity rather than quality. The formerly excellent reputation of Armagnac therefore took a significant hit in the post-war period, from which it has not really recovered to this day. Even though the quality has long since returned to its previous level, Cognac is always viewed as being of a higher quality. This is unfortunate, as the quality of Armagnac is in no way inferior to that of Cognac.

The history of Armagnac begins in 1461, when a document confirms for the first time that a distillery in the Landes department was granted a license to produce brandy. At that time, Moorish knowledge of the art of distilling was combined with Roman experience in winemaking and Gallic skills in barrel building. The first mentions of the production of Cognac date from the 17th century, when Armagnac had already been produced for over 130 years. The knowledge of the skillful distillation of wine was passed down from generation to generation, and Armagnac was thus able to achieve its unusually high quality.

The art of Armagnac production

The production of Armagnac has few parallels to the production of Cognac, apart from the use of white wine as the starting product. The base wines for Armagnac are made from the acidic and flavorful white grape varieties Colombard, Folle Blanche, Ugni Blanc, Baco 22 A, Saint Émilion and Jurancon. This is followed by a single distillation in a continuous still. The resulting distillate has an alcohol content of 55-56% vol. and is transferred to holm oak barrels for storage. The wood of this type of oak is rich in natural colorants and tannins, which means that young Armagnac quickly acquires an attractive color and a pleasant sweet-tart taste. The production of the cognac is based on a double distillation in closed stills and subsequent storage at over 70% vol. in barrels made of Limousine oak, which are significantly poorer in colorants and tannins.

Cles des Ducs Armagnac XO

Unlike in the Cognac region, there are only a few large manufacturers in the Armagnac region. The majority of the products are offered by small producers, which means there is an enormously positive variety of brands and products. One of the best known manufacturers is Clés des Ducs from the heart of Bas-Armagnac. The XO is one of the flagships of this traditional company, for which only the oldest and best spirits are used.

This Armagnac with its great amber color reveals a firework of aromas on the nose. Dried fruit, leather, tobacco, lemon and orange zest can be detected, among other things. The experience on the palate is in no way inferior to the smell. When drinking, wonderful notes of violet, vanilla and hazelnut emerge. The long aftertaste is warming and satisfying. A brilliant Armagnac that is best enjoyed with a good cigar or pipe!