L’armagnac : entre navigation et dégustation

The reading time is approximately 2 to 3 minutes.

In the 17th century, the word "Armagnac" already echoed in the ports, referring to an eau-de-vie produced for three centuries at the heart of the region. It was a time when, amidst barrels and docks, one had to distinguish this elixir from the eaux-de-vie of Saintonge and Languedoc. Armagnac, like a seasoned sailor, embarked on its first sea voyages and participated in port transactions that shaped its identity.

A precious liqueur

By the 19th century, local trade adopted this term more broadly to describe this precious liqueur, encompassing a region stretching from Gers to the river that bears its name, and even beyond according to some merchants. The precise boundaries of this appellation would ultimately be delineated by decree in 1909.

The Gascon eau-de-vie

Thus, Armagnac, both a surname and a regional name, became primarily the standard-bearer of Gascon eau-de-vie. Even when Henri IV associated it with the French crown, this territory did not lose its name or its identity. Its eaux-de-vie, like a liquid heritage, ensured its perpetuity, offering us an intoxicating dive into the depths of maritime and gustatory history. From Gascony to the ports, Armagnac remains a faithful companion, navigating through epochs with grace and flavor.