Maturation & Aging

Freshly distilled, Armagnac is colorless and sharp. Only time in oak barrels turns it amber and rounds out its edges, bringing vanilla and tannin in the early years, then dried fruit and spice later on. The minimum required aging is one year in oak, counted from April 1 following the filling of the barrel, and the spirit must reach at least 40 percent ABV before it can be sold.

Both sessile and pedunculate oak are permitted. Barrels of around 400 liters are standard, often made from Gascon oak. Château de Laubade in Sorbets claims to be the only Armagnac house that builds its own barrels, seasoning the oak outdoors for at least three years.

Age statements appear on the label. A VS must be at least one year old, while XO and Hors d'âge require a minimum of ten years, following rules aligned with Cognac since 2018. In between lie categories like VSOP, which each house defines for its own style.

Very old spirits are often moved from wood into large glass demijohns to prevent them from absorbing even more oak character. In glass, the spirit no longer matures, and its color stays fixed. These demijohns sit in cool cellars, sometimes for decades.

During barrel aging, a portion evaporates through the wood, and the alcohol strength drops over the years. Before bottling, the spirit is carefully diluted with water to the desired drinking strength, never below 40 percent ABV. Only then is it ready for the bottle. How strongly the oak influences the spirit depends on the barrel's age and size: a new barrel imparts a lot, an old one very little, which is why cellar masters move the spirit from barrel to barrel over the years.