Armagnac, France's first brandy, is an oak-aged grape brandy that comes from a delimited area of the Gascony region in Southwest France. Often confused with Cognac - the two do have a number of similarities - Armagnac is distinguished by its use of column stills and in addition to the Ugni Blanc grape variety found in Cognac, Armagnac employs Folle blanche, Colombard, and Baco Blanc.
Many would argue that the end result is a fuller and more complex spirit. A strong case for this is made by the award-winning Armagnacs of Chateau de Laubade.