Cognac and Armagnac are two great French brandies, both distilled from wine and matured in oak casks. Yet behind this closeness lie two very distinct identities. Several stages in the way they’re made shape what you find in the glass. Let’s take a closer look at what gives them their distinctive characteristics.
An explication from an Armagnac distiller, Marc Darroze
To introduce you to these distinctive features, we spoke with Marc Darroze from Maison Darroze, who came to see us recently.
“Armagnac is regarded as a touch more “rustic”, with a different geographical setting. Cognac lies to the north of Bordeaux, whereas we are in the south, between Spain and Bordeaux, with the Landes forest sheltering the Gascony region from sea spray and oceanic influences. We also have very different soils, as ours – especially in Bas-Armagnac – are very sandy. Bas-Armagnac today accounts for 70% of all production, so we’re strongly influenced by these sandy soils.
Then, there’s the grape varieties used. Armagnac leans on a diversity of varieties: Ugni Blanc, Colombard, Baco and Folle Blanche, which you don’t find in Cognac, where it’s almost exclusively Ugni Blanc [its use amounts to 98%; editor’s note].
When it comes to the distillation process, we use two very different pot stills. In Cognac, they use double distillation in pot stills, like they use in Scotland to make whisky. Whereas here at our estate, we use a fairly short column still with six or seven plates. And we carry out a single, continuous distillation.
This means there’s far more contact between the wine and the alcohol vapours in the pot still, which gives Armagnac a slightly more rustic, authentic character.
And finally, the wood used is different. Here in South West France, our oak tends to be looser-grained and a touch more tannic, which is known as Pedunculate oak, whereas Cognac typically uses finer-grained oak from central France, with finer, more elegant tannins and, above all, less oxidation from the barrels.”
Cognac and Armagnac: two terroirs, two identities
As stated above, the first difference between Cognac and Armagnac lies in their geographical origins.
Cognac is produced in the Charente and Charente-Maritime departments, north of Bordeaux. Its appellation is divided into several crus, including Grande Champagne, Petite Champagne, Borderies, Fins Bois, Bons Bois and Bois Ordinaires.
Armagnac is produced in the heart of Gascony, in France’s South West region across three terroirs: Bas-Armagnac, Armagnac-Ténarèze and Haut-Armagnac. Bas-Armagnac, to the west, is notably characterised by sandy-silty soils, while Ténarèze features a higher proportion of clay-limestone soils.
For Marc Darroze, this geographical aspect is essential. He points out the Landes Forest, which tempers the oceanic influences from the Atlantic across part of the Gascony region. This distinctive feature helps define Bas-Armagnac’s identity.
A range of grape varieties
In Cognac, Ugni Blanc is by far the dominant variety, accounting for over 98% of the appellation’s area under vine. Other white grape varieties are also permitted, including Folle Blanche, Colombard, Montils, Sémillon and Folignan.
In Armagnac, greater emphasis is placed on varietal diversity. Of the ten authorised varieties, four play a major role: Ugni Blanc, Folle Blanche, Baco and Colombard. Each one can impart a different personality to the brandy. Folle Blanche, for example, is used for its fine, floral profile, while Baco has adapted particularly well to the sandy soils of the Bas-Armagnac.
Double distillation vs continuous distillation
This is probably the most significant technical distinction between the two brandies.
Cognac must be distilled twice, in a process known as double distillation. During the first distillation, the wine is transformed into a brouillis, or first distillate. This is then redistilled during a second distillation known as the “bonne chauffe” to produce the Cognac.
Armagnac predominantly uses a different method. About 95% of Armagnac is distilled in an Armagnac continuous still, a copper column fitted with a series of plates. The wine circulates continuously and comes into contact with alcohol vapours.
Wood: the importance of ageing
Once distillation is complete, the next essential stage begins – ageing.
Both Cognac and Armagnac are generally matured in oak casks. The wood gradually imparts aromatic and tannic compounds, while oxygen slowly diffuses through the barrel staves. The brandy then develops in colour, texture and complexity.
In Armagnac, the brandies are notably matured in 400-litre oak barrels from wood sourced mainly from the forests of Gascony or Limousin.
Over the years, some of the alcohol evaporates; this is the famous ‘angel’s share’. The brandy is also transferred from new casks to older casks once extraction from the wood is deemed sufficient.
Marc Darroze also highlights the importance of wood in what sets the two appellations apart. In his view, the oak from south-west France used to mature Armagnac has a notably stronger tannic presence than the finer-grained oak used for Cognac.
So wood is not simply a vessel; it is integral to the brandy’s development.
Another hallmark of Armagnac: the vintage
It’s a distinction worth highlighting when comparing the two appellations.
Armagnac can be released either as a blend, bringing together brandies from several different years, or as a vintage. In this case, the brandy comes exclusively from a single year’s harvest. This approach preserves a faithful snapshot of the vintage and showcases its character.
It is also particularly appealing to spirit enthusiasts keen to see how a brandy matures over time.
Two brandies, two identities
So, how can we sum up the difference between Cognac and Armagnac?
Cognac stands out for its limestone vineyards, the overwhelming predominance of Ugni Blanc and, above all, its double distillation in Charentais pot stills.
Armagnac, by contrast, is characterised by a greater diversity of terroirs and grape varieties, along with the use of continuous distillation in a column still. Distillation at a lower alcoholic strength helps preserve a fuller expression of the brandy and the grape varieties.
But to reduce these two brandies to a few technical differences would be to miss the point; above all else, they reflect their terroirs and centuries of knowledge.
This is precisely what Marc Darroze champions when he speaks of Armagnac as a product deeply linked to the vine, the varieties and the people who produce it.
Ultimately, the question isn’t which is better: Cognac or Armagnac? The real pleasure lies in understanding the story each one tells: two regions in France’s west, two ways of distilling, several varieties, sometimes very long maturations and, ultimately, two distinct expressions of exceptional French craftsmanship.
Also on the iDealwine blog:
Whisky, Rum, Cognac, Armagnac, Calvados… How to choose a spirit on iDealwine
