![]() As for Armagnac, it can be drunk neat, but it can also be enjoyed on ice or as a long drink, a particularly trendy way of drinking in recent years.įinally, although both are the fruit of a multi-secular tradition, these two Appellations are far from being frozen in time. Calvados, which is often referred to as "gout", can be enjoyed as an aperitif, as a digestive (the "trou normand"), in the kitchen where it is used to flambé desserts, as a sorbet, not forgetting the mythical café-calva of Parisian bistros, a common drink in the past that is tending to disappear. However, preferring one over the other is a very personal matter. Armagnac and Calvados are also more prized for their aromatic richness, which connoisseurs say is incomparable. Although one is born from the vineyard and the other from the orchard, they both evoke an ancestral and warm heritage, more oriented towards conviviality than the elitist Cognac. Like Armagnac, Calvados is a centuries-old regional speciality, made with passion by small-scale producers. Armagnac or Calvados: a question of taste!ĭespite their many similarities, these two eaux-de-vie offer a very different tasting profile. ![]() Today, Cognac has regained its letters of nobility, with volumes literally flooding the international market: 1 million hectolitres are forecast for 2020, compared to 20,000 for Cognac and Armagnac. The phylloxera crisis at the end of the 19th century also played an important role in the future of these three eaux-de-vie, as it led to the almost total destruction of the French vineyards: while the production of Armagnac and Cognac was reduced to nothing, Calvados, whose trade was mainly local, enjoyed a considerable boom. Even today, while Cognac is an elitist eau-de-vie that is widespread in China and the United States, Armagnacs and Calvados are reserved for limited production and local trade. On the other hand, the privileged location of Cognac, close to the port of La Rochelle, allows the brandy to be exported rapidly and massively to Northern Europe. Although Armagnac is the oldest of the three, its location in the Gers region has limited its export. Throughout history, these three eaux-de-vie have become part of the regional heritage. Armagnac Calvados Cognac: a historic and timeless trio Like Armagnac, Calvados is made according to traditional know-how by local producers who carry out the same production process, from the orchard to the glass: harvesting the apples, fermenting the juice, distilling the cider, ageing and bottling. There are no less than 200 species of apple trees in the vast Normandy orchards. Calvados is therefore a cider brandy requiring several hundred varieties of sweet, acidic apples, the most widespread being the bitter varieties, known as "cider apples", in order to obtain an ideal balance after aging. The vineyards Armagnac is produced according to a traditional method that is centuries old by many small local producers who carry out the various stages of production themselves: harvesting the grapes, fermenting the must, distilling the wine, ageing the eau-de-vie and bottling.Ĭalvados was born from apple trees in Normandy and Brittany in the middle of the 16th century, 800 km from the Armagnac region. The AOC is divided into several terroirs, more or less coveted, but all possessing a unique typicity: the geological and climatological criteria vary considerably in Armagnac, contributing greatly to the infinite nuances offered by the different Armagnacs. Born in the Gers region, the wine brandy finds its source in the local winegrowers who share the vast vineyards of south-west France. What is the difference between Armagnac and Calvados?Īrmagnac is the oldest brandy in France, dating back to the 13th century. However, these two traditional entities share some common points, which allows unexpected associations to emerge between producers, joining forces and passion in front of monsters of the international media scene, notably their neighbour Cognac. Armagnac and Calvados are both fruit brandies marked by many differences in origin and production, terroir and history. ![]()
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