Cocktails with Armagnac brandy
Armagnac is an oak-aged French grape brandy from Gascony, in the southwest, usually distilled once in a continuous still. It is one of the oldest brandies, and bolder and more rustic than Cognac.
ABV40%That is the standard strength; cask-strength and older bottlings run higher.
Substitutes for Armagnac brandy
The easiest alternative, taking the exact same measure. The flavor lands smoother and a bit less bold.
Other aged grape brandy
Spanish or Californian bottles work well in the same amount. When mixed as a small part, the difference barely shows.
On the label
- VS / VSOP / Napoléon / XO / Hors d’âge
- The age of the youngest spirit in the blend: VS at least 1 year, VSOP 4, Napoléon 6, XO 10. Hors d’âge also needs 10, though it is usually much older.
- millésime (vintage)
- A single harvest year, bottled and dated — Armagnac’s signature, and something you will almost never see on a Cognac label.
- Bas-Armagnac / Ténarèze / Haut-Armagnac
