De Montal Armagnac

We have not been to Armagnac, although on our honeymoon in 2006 we had plans to visit. But, Cognac, as it does for many people, took over. However, a glass of excellent Armagnac is worth the same as a glass of Cognac. I love its more rustic touch and purity. De Montal is considered one of the top modern distillate and wine producers in the region: their grapes grow on 700 ha, planted and structured so that the grapes go from harvest to production in a 10-minute drive. Every time Armands opens their bottle, even if I do not plan to indulge in it, I always take a sniff and a small sip that always takes me to France. Their Armagnac is a treasure bottled for years and years in centuries-old casks quietly laying in even older cellars when they turn from pungent eaux-de-vie into a silky smooth cinnamon and dried fruit-filled drink. 

Serve with a chocolate cake