Ageing This is one of the most important steps in the production of fine Armagnac. Two factors would appear to be primordial: the cask and the cellar. Firstly, the quality of the casks is dependent upon several factors, the skill of the cooper, the preparation of the wood and its origin. A Gascony legend declares that the casks should be made from oaks that have watched the vines grow. Next, the quality (and more particularly the hydrometry) of the cellar is primordial. The drier the cellar, the more the Armagnac will itself be dried. The wetter the cellar, the more supple and round the brandy. As soon as the Armagnac has been distilled, it is placed in 400 litre oak casks. It is this contact between the brandy and the oak which forms the veritable basis of the Armagnac. This alchemy between the two has never been elucidated by scientific investigation. Armagnac is a magical product, practically divine. The brandy takes on a beautiful amber colour, then that of mahogany. Armagnac does not evolve in the bottle. It is ready to be savoured as soon as it is purchased. It can also be stored on condition that the bottle is stood upright to prevent the alcohol from damaging the cork. Label Language The Armagnacs available for purchase are labelled according to the time spent ageing in the oak cask: - "XXX" is a blend of brandies in with the youngest has been aged for at least two years, -"VSOP" or "reserve" is a blend in which the youngest has been aged for at least five years in the cask, -"XO" or "Napoleon" which contains brandies at least six years old, -"Hors d'Age" (outside age category) is a blend in which the youngest brandy has been aged for at least ten years. The vintages, which are an Armagnac speciality, correspond exclusively to the grape harvesting year noted on the label.