Armagnac

The entry level Armagnac from Baron de Sigognac, aged for at least two years in oak and blended for richness, sweetness and balanced spice.

A top quality VSOP armaganc from Baron de Sigognac, this is from the Bas Armagnac region and has spent six months in new casks, followed by seven years in old oak casks, meaning that technically it could qualify as an XO under the current rules.

An 8 year old VSOP(!) Bas Armagnac made, very unusually, entirely from the once ubiquitous but now sadly rare Folle Blanche grape, which makes delightfully elegant spirit. They're a funny lot, the French. If this was a Cognac they could call it an XO (minimum requirement 6yo ageing).

A quality aged armagnac from a famous house.

A quality oak-aged Armagnac from the Tenareze region, made with Ugni Blanc. This has a lively fruit character and at this price is excellent value for money.

A very rare thing to see - a single varietal Folle Blanche armagnac. This one, from the respected Clos Martin, should be floral and spicy after fifteen years in the wood.

Terrific bang-for-your-buck Napoleon armagnac from Sempé. Napoleon spirits are typically aged a minimum of six years before bottling (same as XO), but frequently use much older armagnacs in the blend.

A triple pack of 20cl bottles of Armagnac from Clos Martin, featuring the VSOP and XO as well as their 1986 vintage.

Les Grands Assemblages is an age-statement range of Bas Armagnacs bottled at 43%, serving as a great introduction to the work of master bottlers Darroze, who have previously only released single estate vintage armagnacs at cask strength. This 8 year old bottling, although older than most XO cognacs, really lets the spirit sing, with plenty of vibrant stone and berry fruit flavours.

A 1981 vintage armagnac from Chateau de Lacaze. 'Early landed' in the UK and bottled in England in 1998 for Howell's of Bristol.

An ongoing bottling of 20 year old armagnac from Baron de Sigognac. Made in small batches and blended to produce rich, sweet spirit that exemplifies armagnac.

A very long-aged armagnac from boutique producer Clos Martin's 1987 vintage. Unusually, this has been produced entirely from the little-seen Folle Blanche grape variety.

A boisterous 12 year old Bas Armagnac blended and bottled by the incomparable Darroze as part of their Grands Assemblages range. Hints of liquorice and cinnamon here, this really blossoms after a minute or two breathing in the glass.

One of the only blended Armagnacs in the Darroze range, it leaves behing the company's obsession with terroir for a moment to provide an entry point into their excellent range.

A quality aged armagnac in a rather elegant retro decanter-style bottle.

A full-bodied 20yo blended Bas Armagnac from Darroze, bottled as part of their Grands Assemblages range, this is showing real maturity and complexity after two decades of ageing, while still retaining impressive freshness and bite.

An excellent high-strength non-vintage armagnac from the best region - Bas Armagnac produces heavier, more complex spirits and Domaine Boingneres is highly regarded, despite having a name that sounds a bit like a French bouncy castle.

A 1993 vintage armagnac produced on the Domaine de Rieston and bottled by the experts at Darroze.

A 1981 vintage armagnac from Domaine de Lasgraves, a small producer in the Bas Armagnac region.

A 1988 vintage armagnac distilled from grapes grown in the Domaine de Busquet and bottled by Darroze.