Armagnac (brandy) Armagnac (brandy) Armagnac (; ) is a distinctive kind of brandy produced in the Armagnac region in Gascony, southwest France. It is distilled from wine usually made from a blend of grapes including Baco 22A, Colombard, Folle blanche and Ugni blanc, traditionally using column stills rather than the pot stills used in the production of cognac. The resulting spirit is then aged in oak barrels before release. Production is overseen by the Institut national de l'origine et de la qualité (INAO) and the Bureau National Interprofessionel de l'Armagnac (BNIA). Armagnac was one of the first areas in France to begin
Brandy techniques. Since these are considered "protected designation of origin", a brandy made elsewhere may not be called Cognac in these jurisdictions, even if made in an identical manner. Brandy has a traditional age grading system, although its use is unregulated outside of Cognac and Armagnac. These indicators can usually be found on the label near the brand name: In the case of Brandy de Jerez, the Consejo Regulador de la Denominacion Brandy de Jerez classifies it according to: Russian brandies (traditionally called "Cognac" within the country), as well as brandies from many other post-Soviet states (except Armenia) use the traditional