Founded by Etienne Janneau in 1851, Maison Janneau is among the oldest of the great Armagnac houses. Janneau are unique in that they are one of the few producers to own its own distillery and cellars, allowing them to carry out all distillation, ageing and bottling under their own roof in the heart of the Armagnac region. Overseeing the production is a cellar master with an astounding 35 years’ experience at the Maison. Janneau also have the region’s largest stocks of aged Armagnac, approximately 10% of all stock over 10 years old.
This not only gives them access to an unparalleled range of old vintages but also allows them to use older Armagnacs in the classic VS, VSOP & XO blends (always exceeding the Appellation’s minimum ageing requirements). All of this makes Janneau “the world’s most awarded Armagnac”. Over 77 medals have been awarded to Janneau by international spirit competitions, more than any other producer. The Armagnac region is unique in that it is one of the only appellations to release brandies from a single year’s harvest or “vintage”. The date on the label always represents the year of distillation.
All Janneau’s vintage Armagnac’s mature for a minimum of 18 years before being bottled to allow the spirit to soften and develop in complexity. In nearly all cases they are produced using ‘traditional’ continuous distillation. Beautifully presented in individual oak boxes they make a very special gift, especially if the vintage year represents an anniversary or birth.