Armagnac has always had more fire than cognac, being earthier, heavier and more pungent. Less subtle, floral and perfumey. Both good and bad virtues. There are fabulous eaux de vie made in Germany that are half-way between armagnac and cognac, but by small producers without marketing or aggregation; sort of a farmer's market of what would be superb cognac if it were made in Cognac Try a tour along the Rhine near Mainz, for example -- quite an eye-opener, though you may need a local guide as they don't sell to strangers.

Germain-Robin is a fabulous maker of "cognac" from a sheep farm in Mendocino, California -- as he should be, using an old copper still from Cognac, and nth generation cognac maker from France, relocated to California. Making some superb brandies, using all sorts of distinctive grape varieties. Some good, some far better (not all experiments are a resounding success, no matter how good the technique or authentic the equipment). Rather ironically their best brandies are not for sale, being reserved in the distillery for aging until after the founder's death, to make "Napoleon" brandy in future centuries. They have about 10 years production in inventory (an astonishing investment).