‘The Great British Baking Show’ Finale: What is Armagnac, David’s Boozy Ingredient?

The Great British Baking Show Season 10 final pushed the bakers to their limits and inspired them to up the ante with their bakes. Case in point: health nut David Atherton added copious amounts of a liquor called Armagnac to his decadent chocolate cake for the Signature Challenge. He soaked his prunes in the Armagnac, he filled his cake in the Armagnac, and he even flavored the chocolate cake batter itself with Armagnac.

For all the talk of Armagnac in the tent this week, you could be forgiven if you found yourself wondering: what is Armagnac? 

Is Armagnac like Cognac? Is there a difference between the two liquors? What does Armagnac taste like and why is it pronounced “Arm-man-yak”? Here’s everything you need to know about David’s favorite ingredient on this week’s episode of The Great British Baking Show on Netflix.

So What is Armagnac?

Armagnac is a fancy kind of brandy made in the Armagnac region of France. Historically, it was the first brandy distilled in France and came to popularity in the middle ages. It’s distilled from a mix of wine varieties and it is intensely quality controlled by a couple of French organizations. Because Armagnac is only made by independent producers, it’s not very well known outside of France and greater Europe.

Even though Armagnac is known for its relatively low alcohol content, it still packs a wallop. As David found out, if you make a cake flavored with Armagnac, sandwiched with Armagnac cream, and full of Armagnac-soaked prunes, it’s going to taste like booze.

Is Armagnac Just Cognac? What’s the Difference Between Armagnac and Cognac?

So real talk: there are a lot of similarities between Armagnac and Cognac. Both are French brandies made from distilled wine and are named after the regions they are produced. However, there’s more separating Armagnac and Cognac than merely a zip code. While Cognac is distilled in big copper pots before being aged in oak barrels, Armagnac is distilled in column stills. Both Cognac and Armagnac are distilled from wine made from Ugni Blanc grape variety, but Armagnac also features the Folle blanche, Colombard, and Baco Blanc grapes. Flavor-wise, you might find Armagnac fruitier, unless it’s been aged in the bottle.

However the biggest difference is in who gets to make Armagnac versus Cognac. As mentioned, Armagnac is strictly controlled by the government and almost universally made by small producers. Cognac is made by several major corporations, making it an internationally known commodity with name brands that come up in rap lyrics. Armagnac is therefore the brandy you’re more likely to hear name-checked on The Great British Baking Show. 

If you’re hungry for more new episodes of The Great British Baking Show, you’re in luck. Netflix will have the latest episodes of The Great British Baking Show: Holidays next Friday, November 8.

Watch The Great British Baking Show on Netflix