The Paulsen Collection Bas-Armagnac 30 Jahre 1977, 0,7L 40%

Cles des Ducs Armagnac VSOP 0.7L 40% The history of Armagnac Armagnac is often ridiculed as the little brother of cognac, which supposedly cannot hold a candle to it in terms of quality. The fact is, however, that Armagnac is an independent product with outstanding quality and history that has nothing to hide from cognac. The history of this special French brandy begins in 1461 - that of cognac only in the 17th century. At that time, it was first mentioned in documents that a distillery in the Landes department was granted permission to produce brandy. This early art of spirits production goes back to three cultures. While the Romans brought winegrowing to the region, the Gauls provided suitable barrels and the Moors laid the foundation for the production of Armagnac with their knowledge of the art of distilling. The spirits from that time were still relatively inferior and were mainly used for medicinal purposes. However, the skills of the distillers improved from generation to generation and Armagnac became one of the most respected spirits in the world. With its good reputation, demand also increased. Armagnac was extremely popular, especially in the post-war period, which prompted some manufacturers to produce quantity rather than quality. What followed was severe damage to its image, which Armagnac is still struggling with today. However, the quality of the spirit has long since returned to its previous level. The production of Armagnac Another untruth about Armagnac is that it is just a cognac from another region. However, this statement is incorrect, as Armagnac is clearly different from its younger brother in terms of production. While cognac is double distilled in closed stills, Armagnac is simply distilled in a continuous process. The 55 - 56% raw spirit is then stored in barrels made from holm oak, which is typical for the region. This differs from the Limousin oak barrels used for storing cognac due to its high colorant and tannin content. The natural colorants from the wood give the spirits a beautiful amber color after just a short period of storage. The high tannin content gives young Armagnacs a pleasantly bitter taste. Clés des Ducs VSOP In the heart of Bas-Armagnac, the best of the three Armagnac regions, the traditional company Clés des Ducs produces the highest quality Armagnac. The VSOP is particularly popular. It is a blend of four to twelve year old distillates that have matured in 400 liter barrels made from the best holm oak. It is characterized by its particularly fine and floral bouquet and its slightly astringent taste. An absolutely high-quality VSOP that offers both price and performance!

Cles des Ducs Napoleon Armagnac 0.5L 40% A wonderful brandy from Gascony Armagnac is produced in three regions in Gascony, a particularly sunny region in the southwest of France. These wine-growing areas, which together cover around 100 km², are the famous Bas-Armagnac, Haut-Armagnac and Ténarèze. Since 1909, the name, origin and production of Armagnac have been regulated by a state regulation, the so-called Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée (controlled designation of origin). The history of the spirit, however, goes back much further. Armagnac was first mentioned in documents in 1461. At that time, the wine-growing knowledge of the Romans was combined with the distilling skills of the Moors and the high-quality barrels of the Gauls, and brandy was distilled for medicinal purposes for the first time in the region. The quality of the brandy improved from generation to generation, and Armagnac's good reputation reached its peak in the middle of the 20th century. As popularity increased, however, so did demand, and unfortunately some manufacturers at the time preferred to produce mass rather than quality. This caused France's oldest spirit to lose prestige, particularly in the post-war period. Even though the quality has long since returned to its old standard, Armagnac is often mistakenly seen as an inferior cognac. However, if you try both spirits at the same time, you will find that this is by no means the case. A good Armagnac, with its rather tart, distinctive bouquet, is definitely on a par with Cognac, but is still different enough to be unmistakable. How is Armagnac made? The production of Armagnac is very different from that of Cognac. The only thing they have in common is that both brandies are made from white wines. For Armagnac, the base wine is pressed from the grape varieties Folle Blanche, Ugni Blanc, Colombard, Baco 22 A, Jurancon and Saint Émilion. This is followed by a simple continuous distillation, which distills the base wine to 55 - 56% vol. Cognac is double distilled in closed kettles and then filled into barrels at over 70% vol. While cognac is stored in barrels made of Limousine oak, Armagnac is stored in the holm oak typical of the region. This gives the spirit its distinctive and pleasant, slightly bitter taste thanks to its high tannin content, and additional coloring in the wood ensures that the Armagnac takes on a natural color more quickly. Clés des Ducs Napoleon This special specialty from the traditional company Clés des Ducs from the heart of Bas-Armagnac matured in small holm oak barrels for eleven long years. While the beautiful amber color alone suggests a high-quality spirit, this assumption is confirmed by the wonderful bouquet with its numerous dried fruit, flower and nut aromas. Vanilla, toffee and a slightly sweet and bitter taste are revealed on the palate. The long aftertaste impresses with fine spicy notes. A brandy for connoisseurs!