Famous Armagnac Houses

What can we say about Delord, a wonderful producer of the finest armagnacs in the region? The firm has supplied consistently high quality armagnacs to Brandyclassics for nearly a decade and we have had nothing but praise for this fine firm. Based in Lannepax in the eastern side of Bas Armagnac, between Nogaro and Condom. Condom is geographically the central town of Armagnac, but Delord is based in the second cru known as Tenarèze.

The firm was founded in 1893 by Prosper Delord, a travelling distiller who fell in love with the wonderfully fruity eaux de vie of the region. The firm became known as Delord Brothers when his two sons, Gaston and Georges took over the distillery. They were equally passionate about the wonderful spirits they were able to make. More recently Jacques and Pierre Delord have continued the family traditions and have handed down to the current sons, Jerome and Sylvain, ensuring that the family traditions live on.

Grape varieties are the traditional Folle Blanche, Ugni Blanc and Colombard and they still use the old still of their forefathers which is only capable of producing around 30 litres of eau de vie an hour. But a look into their cellars reveals more than 700 x 350 litre barrels, that are home to armagnacs dating from the beginning of the last century.

Delord still use the basquaise flat green bottle, although most of their armagnacs are now shipped in the modern tall bottle, all with hand personalised labels. These armagnacs are all distilled at the lower end of the range and have the wonderfully pruney style.

Delord 20 y.o. Bas Armagnac

Although still quite small, Delord rank amongst the greats in Gascogne. Their distillation is around 60 degrees and this provides many of the traditional prune and fruit flavours of the region but also many of the rich nutty flavours of spirits distilled at a higher range. They are also small enough to have more individuality between vintages although all their armagnacs gain greater maturity with age.

Delord Vintage 1958 Bas Armagnac

One of the best from this wonderful producer. It has great fruit and rancio richness, it is both charming and voluptuous showing an intense dried prune quality.

The firm  Castarède is naturally proud of being the oldest business in Armagnac. They were founded in 1832 by Jules Nismes at the suggestion of a young subprefect, who later became famous as the Baron Haussmann who replanned Paris for the Emperor Napoleon III. The firm was sited at the furthest point  to which the River Baise is navigable and provides direct access to Bordeaux down the River Garonne.

The firm is still owned by the Castarède family, who are also proprietors of the picturesque Château de Maniban at Mauléon d’Armagnac. The Maniban family were members of the legal aristocracy, the noblesse de la robe, who played such an important role in developing Bordeaux’s fine wine estates. They were the first to introduce armagnac to the court of Louis XV and have been associated in the past with many names of the rich and famous.

The firm is not a distiller, it buys its armagnacs exclusively from the Bas Armagnac, most of which were distilled between 1900 and 2000. They keep them in wood until they have reduced naturally to 40%, before transferring them to glass bonbonnes without additives.

Their cellars are at Pont-de-Bordes, Lavardac balancing on the side of a high ridge over the river and create a picturesque view. Florence Castarède is the charming and current family owner of the firm and she has created a range of vintages which is the mainstay of the business today. Most of her armagnacs have been distilled mid range and have flavours of crystallised fruit.

Castarède Vintage 1962

This is one of Castarede's traditional styles, being a negoçiant styles can change but this represents the larger proportion of these great armagnacs. Crystalised fruits and honey.

Castarède Vintage 1944

A good year for this armagnac. It is round and with good balance, flavours of crystalised and dried fruits but with a richness and slight mustiness of a true rancio.