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| Hello, that is one among our (nearly) every day tastings. Santé! |
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January 23, 2022
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Armagnac is again once more
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Because it occurs, the implausible – if a little bit dear – new Glendronach 50 that we tried the opposite day made me need to attempt extra armagnac. You will need to by no means resist your wills, you perceive.
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‘1 bottle for two good glasses of Grande Superb d’Armagnac 25 years previous.’ Think about the dimensions of the glasses again then.
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Domaine de Baraillon 2005/2021 (49.9%, Swell de Spirits, folle blanche, 100 bottles) 
Folle blanche stays the star varietal of armagnac. It was too in Cognac however that was earlier than phylloxera vastatrix. Glad to attempt a youthful, and presumably fiercer Baraillon. Color: amber. Nostril: fairly chocolaty and earthy, strong for certain, with some mint liqueur and whiffs of previous dunnage warehouse. Rum-and-raisin ice cream, then many mentholated, nearly turpentine-y notes, fir honey, then miso and previous walnuts. I suppose that sums it up. Mouth: massive boy, much more strong but additionally sweeter and fruitier, extra ‘stewed’, with many candies crammed with many liqueurs. A whole lot of chestnut honey, then coffees, bidis and a sense of thuja wooden. It is even bought one thing Moroccan, arduous to explain. Tajine with prunes? End: lengthy, on Jaffa truffles, marmalade, and extra menthol once more within the aftertaste. Some chocolaty oakiness and heavier black tea within the aftertaste, plus liquorice wooden. Feedback: certainly, strong and even a tad rustic, however that is armagnac. Nice to your hipflask. An previous, treasured, real silver hipflask.
SGP:562 – 87 factors. |
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Château de Laubade 1975/2021 ‘Brut de Fût’ (44.2%, OB, Bas-armagnac, barrique #77027) 
It is true that at these sorts of ages, in Scotland they’d already use crystal, do Zooms and name Prince Charles. That is baco and ugni blanc, so no folle blanche right here. Bear in mind, brut de fût means cask power. Color: amber. Nostril: bang-bang, butterscotch, mirabelle jam, quince jelly, preserved peaches, sultanas, touches of chalky earth and a stunning floral facet, across the yellowest yellow flowers. Those the bees like greatest. Splendid nostril (the bees would agree, though bees want pastis – I am not joking in any respect). Mouth: flabbergasting earthy honeyness, with cassata and simply extra mirabelles. Extraordinary natural teas, smooth liquorice, a little bit agave syrup, butterscotch once more, wee touches of gentian (hurray) after which a quite smooth, though fairly piney and mentholy oakiness. Touches of varnish too, not an issue, quite the opposite. End: lengthy, a notch oaky once more (loses one level, there), a tad gritty and teaish, however you then bear in mind that is armagnac. Feedback: they’ll name Prince Charles.
SGP:571 – 90 factors. |
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Within the phrases of Chuck Yeager (?!), too excessive, we’re too excessive…
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Domaine de Saoubis 2007/2021 (46.1%, LMDW, Model Française, Bas-armagnac, cask #95, 208 bottles) 
A wee property that is totally in biodynamy, in Ayzieu not too removed from Eauze. It is vitally cool that La Maison du Whisky would make us uncover new domaines, thanks LMDW. Color: gold. Nostril: so uncommon! The place else in Armagnac would you discover sesame oil and rice truffles? And home made custard, greengages, citrons and acacia honey? And rose petals? Mouth: was this an ex-whisky cask, sincerely? Some form of lemony and earthy smokiness (pine smoke), malt certainly, extra vanilla, pancakes and nougat… We’re just about in malty territories right here, it is nearly a form of reverse malternative. Madeleines. End: medium, rounded, cakey, quite mellow. Oranges and lemons within the aftertaste, with touches of lemongrass. Feedback: a difficult child. For blind tastings – and your pleasure. I prefer it rather a lot.
SGP:551 – 84 factors. |
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Laballe 1970 ‘Dame-jeanne baco’ (48.5%, OB, Bas-armagnac, +/-2020)
We’re within the Landes now and that is pure baco and ex-demijohn. How a lot time it truly spent in wooden, I do not know. Color: amber. Nostril: roasted honey-coated peanuts and almonds, praline, black nougat, then cane syrup and wee meaty touches, extra on poultry than on beef. Stewed chanterelles, Vietnamese caramel pork, different beautiful Asian dishes (love all of them). Very singular, very good. Mouth: a vinous contact at first, then certainly extra Asian dishes, orange zests, sultanas, some earthiness, some peppermint… Did we already declare this was singular? End: medium, piney, chartreusey, a little bit gingery. Feedback: superb caramelly enjoyable right here.
SGP:561 – 87 factors. |
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S.Havion-Ehny 1968/2020 (50.1%, OB, HNWS Taiwan, Ténarèze, cask #3-301, 113 bottles) 
S.Havion-Ehny is a négociant, which you possibly can translate as ‘a dealer’. Down there in or across the Gers, some say Ténarèze is the true connoisseur’s armagnac, though they’d are inclined to let you know that after fairly a couple of glasses. Color: bronze amber. Nostril: one other one which’s a little bit malty, within the sense that you’d quite discover pastries, truffles, roasted nuts and plum jams. Not that we will complain, we love this. Say a mirabelle pie with honey and sultanas. Exhausting to beat certainly. With water: it adores water, will get a lot meatier, bouillony, with solely touches of nougat and maple syrup. I am afraid we’ll have to say caramel pork as soon as extra. Mouth (neat): extra a basic, conventional Armagnac, with some liquorice, a grapey facet, raisins and prunes, and a few earthy honey. With water: the previous age nonetheless does not actually really feel. Beautiful honeys and roasted nuts, with an oakiness that is quite stored at bay. Superior liquorice and aniseed. End: quite lengthy and really properly balanced. Marmalade, syrups, liquorice and only a tiny contact of lavender. The aftertaste is a tad oaky however that is very regular. Feedback: glorious. Nice enjoyable that this Frenchman would have the ability to attempt some previous revolutionary Ténarèze from an Armagnac home he had by no means heard of, by way of some mates in Taiwan. The nice facet of globalisation!
SGP:561 – 89 factors. |
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Bas-armagnac 1963 (46.2%, Grosperrin for The Auld Alliance Singapore, 2021)
When one of many stars of Cognac would team-up with a star of Singapore (si, si, vraiment) to launch a Bas-armagnac, that ought to let you know one thing. Nutshell, this should not be simply any Bas-armagnac. Color: deep amber. Nostril: this is not simply any Bas-armagnac and possibly I am dreaming however I am discovering a Cognacqy facet to this child. These stewed peaches with honey sauce and honeysuckle syrup, plus these juicy sultanas. Distinctive floral/earthy growth, quite unusual however completely wonderful. Candy mushrooms and touches of morels and truffles, all moderato. Distinctive certainly. If the palate matches the nostril, we have already discovered one among 2022’s winners at Château Whiskyfun (even when it got here out in summer time final yr). Mouth: oh. Blazing oranges, golden raisins, candy roots, gentian, tiny concepts of parsnips, the blackest candies, bamboo shoots, heather honey, yellow chartreuse, a drop of genepy… Nicely I am almost shocked. Absorb a hipflask while you go snowboarding or fishing. End: quite lengthy, completely earthy. Completely excessive drinkability (that is the issue). Gentian within the aftertaste, so even unemployed French wokists would not complain. Feedback: que c’est bon!
SGP:561 – 93 factors. |
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What a wee session! Armagnac retains creeping-up at WF Towers. Au revoir.
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