Academics who consider themselves connoisseurs find enormous more pleasure in the ongoing debates about whether the finest examples of French brandy come from the villages in the district of Cognac or from those of Armagnac. For many years, for example, it was a well known source of humor at the prestigious College de France, that structuralists and epistemologists preferred Armagnac and that deconstructionists and radical Marxists chose Cognac. It was no less amusing to learn that every year on Christmas, the Rector of the Sorbonne gave each of the senior members of his teaching staff a bottle of Cognac while the Rector of the Ecole des Beaux Arts insisted that his professors be given a bottle of Armagnac. The debate rages even outside of France. For many years, for example, te faculty club at Harvard University served only Cognac and that at Yale University only Armagnac.

Although my personal preference is for Armagnac, I would never be brave or foolish enough to state that one is "better" than theother. My passion for Armagnac merely reflects the fact that my palate and nostrils have more of an affinity for the style and character of this style of brandy.

Distilled from white wine that has been grown in the sandy soil of the province once known as Gascony, located just south of the area of Bordeaux, the brandies of Armagnac have often been compared to perfumes. When they are young they have the scent of violets and as they mature they take on the aroma of dried prunes. Some also find the smell of fresh vanilla beans. green hazelnuts, yellow peaches and freshly crushed peppercorns.

Because they are produced mostly by small firms, there is a greater range of quality among brandies from Armagnac than from those from Cognac. Most Armagnac brandies are somewhat harder, have more of an individual taste and, because they are aged and gain their flavor in barrels made from locally grown oak, have a darker color than most cognacs. Like the brandy produced in Cognac, nearly all Armagnac is made by blending wines of different years, and this accounts for the fact that vintage years are only rarely found on the bottles. The age indicated on the label is that of the youngest brandy in the bottle.

Because no brandy ages once it has been put in the bottle, Armagnac is aged in its casks from three up to 50 or more years. The symbols on the labels can be somewhat confusing, but in general three stars indicate that the Armagnac has spent five years in the casks; four stars indicates six years; and five stars, seven years. VO means very old; VSO, very superior old; VSOP, very superior old pale; and XO stands for extra old. That these terms appear in English and not French reflects the fact that since the 19th century the English have been the major purchases of both Cognac and Armagnac.

The very finest Armagacs are those from the sub-region known as Bas-Armagnac and the best known brands from here are Janneau, Sempe, Marquis de Montesquieu, Samalens, Lafontan,, Marquis de Puysegur and Cles des Ducs. Like any fine brandy, Armagnac should be drunk in a balloon shaped glass. The custom of heating any brandy over a candle is pretentious and unnecessary. Although gentle heating releases the fumes and allows the drinker to fully enjoy the aroma of their brandy, this is best done by caressing the glass in the palm of the hand.

Perhaps The Most Special Armagnac

Since 1896, Chateau Laubade has been one of the few estates to specialize in vintage Armagnac. Noted for its finesse, depth of flavor and dark, strong color, this Armagnac is considered one of the finest in the world and is known to be the favorite of several of Europe's royal families. Because only selected grapes are used in the production of Chateau Laubade's Armagnac, annual production is limited to under 40,000 bottles, and in those years where the grapes do not come meet the Chateau's standards, a vintage is not declared.

Even though the vintage Armagnac of Chateau Laubade appeals to me enormously, I drink the older vintages rarely because they are rare and prohibitively expensive. In fact, until recently, I knew of only four wine merchants, two of which are in Paris, one in Geneva and one in London who kept any of the older vintages in stock. To my great surprise and equally great delight, on a recent visit to Monte Carlo, I discovered the wine shop and cellars called "L'Oenotheque", at which one can purchase the Armagnacs of every Laubade vintage ever declared.

The collection includes the Armagnacs of each of the 56 years between 1896 and 1972 that were declared to be vintage years. (Those made later than 1972 are still in oak casks and are considered too young to be released). Each bottles is packed in a hand made wood box and prices vary from FFr 9,800 for a bottle of the 1898 vintage to FFr 630 for the relatively young 1964. At a meeting with Roger Claude Roux, the senior administrator of the cellars, I asked if a discount would be made to anyone wishing to purchase the entire collection. Monsieur Roux was somewhat taken aback, and told me with the distinct hint of a frown that "one never discounts quality". The entire collection will cost you FFr 186,200. That price does not include shipping. Nor does it include the special releases of fontaines, special bottles that hold five liters each, that were issued in 1923, 1930 and 1940 which will add an additional FFr 88,000 to the bill.

Orders for single bottles or for the entire series may be placed by visiting the cellars at Avenue Princesse Alice in Monte-Carlo or by fax (0033: 93 25 21 32). Those not in a specially wealthy mood can write or use their fax to request a free copy of L'Oenotheque's extensive catalogue of fine wines and brandies. Excellent but more limited selections of the Laubade Argmagnac can be found at Sherry-Lehmann in New York and Berry Brothers and Rudd in London.

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© Daniel Rogov