The separated brothers: A taste of savoir-faire (3/3)

The natural disposition of terroir contributes to the identity of the final product, though the key moment in the production of an eau-de-vie is the distillation : the wine is transformed into « eau ardente » (burning water).  It is at the moment of distillation that we notice the most striking differences without doubt : Armagnac and Cognac are two spirits where the main common point lies in the uniqueness of their identity.

Two methods

The methods of distillation are not the same everywhere.  In the Cognac region, there is only one way to make an eau-de-vie : the distillation must take place in a double distillation pot still. The wine is distilled once, then the obtained distillate is sent back into the alambic for a second time resulting in the final eau-de-vie.

The pride and the character of the Gascons could only lead to originality.  Thus they have invented their own distillation technique that is mostly used for the production of Armagnac.  It is distilled in an Armagnac alambic, known as continuous distillation, a sophisticated system that allows for a final result without it having to suffer a second distillation.

The production of a spirit takes place in two stages : distillation and ageing.  On leaving the alambic, where the distillates flow as pure and transparent as liquid crystal, the eau-de-vie stays for several years in oak barrels.*

The choice of wood also saw a divergence in the two regions, each one favouring local resources : the Limousin oak from the Charente producers and Gascon oak for the most part, for the Armagnac producers. A question of tradition… the wood plays an important role in the development of the aromatic complexity of the eau-de-vie : impregnated with the scents of wood cut only a few miles from where it lies, the eau-de-vie takes on a taste of the region.

*Except for Blanche Armagnac, another Armagnac originality.