Janneau Brandy Armagnac VSOP, 70 cl

Product Information

A three-star, or VS, Armagnac is a mix of several Armagnacs that have seen at least one year of ageing in wood.

Its efficiency and practicality as a ‘mobile still’ made it an instant hit with the region’s producers. At 40 years old, the oak ageing has had quite an effect on the eaux-de-vie, with lashings of rich, woody notes alongside plenty of rancio. This French brandy may only be produced in the Armagnac region of southwest France and is aged in oak barrels for extra depth. In addition, it is for the most part made and sold by small producers, whereas cognac production is dominated by big-name brands, especially Courvoisier (owned by Beam Suntory), Hennessy ( LVMH), Martell ( Pernod Ricard), and Rémy Martin ( Rémy Cointreau).It's always an impressive feat to see spirit distilled so long ago survive to this day without being enjoyed, but, well, here we are.

An interesting expression from the Delord range, features Bas Armagnac which has been bottled at 45. Castarède then goes a step further and ages the fine spirit for another ten years in new oak casks, delivering one of the finest Armagnac’s available. The VS is made with Baco and Ugni Blanc grapes grown in the Bas-Armagnac and Armagnac-Ténarèze, which go through single and double distillations before being set aside to age for at least three years.In the following century, Armagnac was served in the palace of Versailles and by 1800, most of the Armagnac region was dedicated to the production of the brandy.

Having access to their own distillery gives Janneau complete control over the quality and personality of their Armagnac. Once harvested, the grapes are fermented either with wild or cultured yeast to produce a light acidic wine of about 8% ABV. To bring you our insightful drinks reviews, we use a combination of tasting sets, miniatures, full-sized bottles, plus visits and toursof distilleries, breweries and wine tastings, plus bars and pubs worldwide.From the wonderful Château de Lacquy comes a VSOP Bas Armagnac, which has seen seven years of ageing. These distinctive copper stills look like something out of Jules Verne and are often fueled by wood, even those belonging to large producers like Château du Tariquet. This is now the standard for the region though one of the biggest producers, Janneau, is unusual in using Cognac-style pot stills and double-distillation to make a smoother, more elegant spirit.