The grape-based brandy from France’s Armagnac region, traditionally made using continuous distillation, is Armagnac. It is produced in Gascony, in southwestern France, from fermented white wine distilled into a spirit and then matured in oak casks.
Armagnac is commonly associated with the use of a distinctive continuous column still, often called an Armagnac still. Unlike Cognac, which is traditionally distilled twice in pot stills, Armagnac is often distilled once. This preserves more of the wine’s aromatic character, though modern producers may use different methods and blends.
The spirit is classified into regional appellations including Bas-Armagnac, Armagnac-Ténarèze, and Haut-Armagnac. It may be sold young, as VS, or aged for longer periods under designations such as VSOP and XO. Armagnac is not the same as Calvados, which is an apple- or pear-based brandy from Normandy, while pastis is an anise-flavored spirit rather than a distilled grape brandy.