France - Armagnac

France's oldest spirit is good for the health

Article published on the 2010-02-09 Latest update 2010-02-09 13:42 TU

Armagnac is France's oldest spirit
(Photo: maison Armagnac-Castarède)

Armagnac is celebrating its 700th birthday with a marketing push aimed at attracting younger customers. A new advertising campaign claims the French spirit is good for the body and soul and vaunt's the drink's 40 virtues.

The first mention of Armagnac dates back to 1310 when Vital Dufour, the Prior of Eauze, wrote a medical treatise laying out the drink's virtues.

He claimed Armagnac had medicinal qualities which included improving memory, delaying senility, curing hepatitis and 'drying tears'.

Next month a group of distillers from the Armagnac region are to travel to the Vatican to bring back a copy of the treatise, which is considered a near-sacred text for distillers.

France sold 6.5 million bottles of Armagnac abroad in 2008, far behind the highly popular Cognac, which has become the drink of choice for many American rappers.

Producers are hoping to boost annual export sales to between nine and 10 million bottles by 2013 mainly from the over-30s who currently see the spirit as an older person's tipple.

Armagnac is considered mainly as a digestive liqueur, but producers want to see if offered more as an aperitif.

Pierre Tabarin, president of the Armagnac producer's association, argues the spirit can also be served as to accompany some hearty dishes like foie gras.

"You can enjoy anything with Armagnac," he says. "It goes well with Roquefort cheese, salmon, foie gras and even caviar."

For many years, Britain was the main export market for Armagnac, but Russia has recently taken over the top spot.

In 2007, producers created a new "Blanche dArmagnac" that they hope will compete with colourless spirits like vodka.