Armagnac: The Spirit of Gascony

Gascony is one of the finest unspoilt areas left in France and its armagnac brandy is different from others, being the product of different soils and climate as well as different methods of distillation. The earliest documented evidence of the distillation of brandies in Gascony dates back to 1411, making armagnac older than cognac by some 200 years. Today, production is centred around six small towns and villages, while a further 50 or so hidden domains distil their own, largely for sale direct to private customers and selected restaurants.