The Armagnac region drifts through three French departments like a cloud of mist. Although it can’t be found on most modern maps, this ancient terrain is alive within the rich, rolling landscapes, its produce and recipes, and in every glass of its potent, fiery eau de vie — the world’s oldest brandy, made here since at least the early 14th century.

Photograph by Mark Parren Taylor

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Photo story: a journey into Armagnac, home of the world’s oldest brandy

This historic region of southwest France is characterised by rolling vineyards and attractive villages, as well as the spirit that shares its name.

ByMark Parren Taylor

Published March 15, 2022

• 8 min read

This article was adapted from National Geographic Traveller (UK).

Photograph by Mark Parren Taylor

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A collection of labels at Armagnac Delord.

Photograph by Mark Parren Taylor

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Gilles Bartholomo is the last master cooper operating in Armagnac. His barrels are made solely from Gascon black oak, using techniques stretching back generations.

Photograph by Mark Parren Taylor

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The oak adds its own characteristics to the complex spice and vanilla aromas of the armagnac stored within, and enhances the liquid’s amber hues.

Photograph by Mark Parren Taylor

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Gilles inspects the interior of every barrel after its ‘toasting’ — an essential process in which the inside of the barrel is exposed to fire. Each finished barrel holds between 400 and 420 litres.

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Armagnac from Château de Pellehaut, produced using barrels from the Limousin region. The vineyard also makes still and sparkling wines.

Photograph by Mark Parren Taylor

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Every bottle of armagnac produced at Armagnac Delord is sealed with wax in order to keep evaporation to a minimum.

Photograph by Mark Parren Taylor

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Armagnac Delord started producing some of the world’s great armagnacs in the 1930s. But it was the founding brothers’ father, Prosper Delord, who sowed the seeds of the business in the 1890s. During the autumn harvest, Prosper would travel through the region with his mobile copper still — known as an ‘alembic’ — pulling into farms and villages to distil eau de vie for everyone from large-scale growers to enthusiastic individuals.

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Château de Maniban, which ages its armagnac in Bartholomo barrels.

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At the château de Maniban, historical ledgers detail the distillery’s many (and illustrious) customers over the decades.

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Named after its fortress-like chateau, the village of Lavardens has experienced both highs and lows, from its days as a stronghold of the powerful dukes of Armagnac to its devastation by plague in the 17th century, some 500 years later. Located just 12 miles north of Auch, the historical capital of Gascony, the hamlet is surrounded by verdant countryside, with glimpses of the Pyrenees to the south and whispers of the vineyards all around that are carried on dry winds blowing to the Mediterranean.

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Lydie Dèche checks the vines just minutes before harvest. The Château de Millet, near Eauze and about 20 miles west of the village of Lavardens, has been her family’s home for five generations.

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Les Bruhasses is an estate dating back to the 18th century. Having once been used for armagnac production, it was transformed a few years ago by its current owners into a bed and breakfast. When there are enough guests staying, the proprietor lays on a generous dinner made with the produce for which the region is famous — duck, foie gras, cheeses and, of course, a glass of amagnac to finish.

Photograph by Mark Parren Taylor

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In the attractive town of Lectoure, the colourfully named Hôtel de Bastard, an 18th-century mansion, is the setting for a fine restaurant, where a long, lazy lunch might end with this dessert of raspberry, white chocolate and ‘verveine’, or lemon verbena. The restaurant’s cellar is extensive and includes many exceptional wines and brands of armagnac from the chateaux of the region.

Photograph by Mark Parren Taylor

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