Tales of the Cocktail 2015

Whether using Armagnac to replace a bourbon base or a rum base, or coming up with an original cocktail recipe, bartenders from London to New York and San Francisco are embracing French Brandies on their cocktails menus. This long overdue trend is not likely to change. Riding that wave is Armagnac, having lived in the shadow of it’s better-funded neighbor further north, Armagnac is finally having its moment in the spotlight.

The original craft spirit, steeped in a history that dates back over 700 years and flavored by the characters that can only be found in Gascony; a sip of Armagnac recalls secret cellars, the bravery of the 3 musketeers, French berets and a character as unique as the people that pour their heart and soul into producing it.

Join May Matta-Aliah, Armagnac Ambassador, and Doug Miller, Associate Professor
of Hospitality and Service Management at The Culinary Institute of America as they walk you through the range of grape varieties used, the importance of the proprietary distillation method used in the region and the influence of the local oak used for maturation.

You will also have a chance to taste a “Blanche”, an un-aged Armagnac, along with some older blends, both pure and in cocktails, to gain a full appreciation of the history as well as the current trends shaping the current Armagnac industry today.