Malternative French brandies


October 10, 2021

Malter-native French brandies
We have several wine brandies here in France but we'll only have armagnacs today, and maybe cognacs too. Let's just proceed…

Dartigalongue 'Double-Oaked Armagnac' (43.3%, OB, Bas-armagnac, +/-2021)

Dartigalongue is a great, great house but I don't quite know what to think of this young armagnac that's making sheep's eyes at modern malt whisky. I just hope they'll keep it 'double' and never go 'triple', not to mention sevenfold (we're looking at you, Isle of Jura). By the way this little double is a blend of the three main grape varietals, baco, ugni blanc and folle blanche. Colour: gold. Nose: do we really feel the oak supplement? Perhaps in these touches of nutmeg and cinnamon, or in these notes of tropical fruits (bananas), but other than that, I'm rather getting rose petals, peach skins, and some slightly mentholy sultanas. A little thyme honey too, I would say, as well as roasted sesame. Pretty fresh, joyful, and just lovely. Mouth: the oak's a little louder on the palate, as this was poured twice into new oak. You really have to enjoy cinnamon and ginger (rolls), sweet paprika sauce, ras-el-hanout… Having said that, raisins and peaches are keeping the upper hand. Phew. Finish: medium, a little drying. Cinnamon powder. Comments: really good, in fact, but we could almost call this maltagnac at times. Or armagnac with exposed beams. Apologies.
SGP:551 - 82 points.

Château de Lacquy 2007 'Baco 100%' (48%, OB, Bas-armagnac, cask #318, +/-2021)

A very old house that was founded in 1711, in the Landes. It's said to be the oldest producer still in activity while they grow their own vines on 25 hectares. This is pure baco, probably #22A. Colour: bright green gold. Nose: it is not a very aromatic armagnac but this tightness works just great and indeed, would make it resemble some malt whiskies here and there, with some citrus, grapefruits, hints of cigarette tobacco, walnut skins, a drop of olive oil and even a little wholegrain bread… Mouth: very citrusy and liqueury, I couldn't not mention our beloved artisanal limoncellos and citron liqueurs. A touch of icing sugar, candyfloss, even banana foam, then that wholegrain bread yet again and a littler coffee. Crunching beans. Finish: a little more oak-driven, with many spices and a feeling of rye and some sweeter buckwheat. Cinnamon in the aftertaste. Comments: the breadiness is a little unusual here, you could almost think of some rye whisky. I find it very good too.
SGP:561 - 82 points.

What's great is that Lacquy also have other single-varietals in the same vintage…

Château de Lacquy 2007 'Folle Blanche 100%' (48%, OB, Bas-armagnac, cask #8, +/-2021)

Colour: gold. Nose: everything is 'more' here, more roundness, more jams, more honeys, more camphor and menthol, more maple syrup, more stewed peaches, a very lovely mashy side (turnips?) and then of course, the expected raisins. Also williams pears. Mouth: so different from the baco! There's more action here, more tropical notes (litchis, gewurztraminer), a little more earth too, a curious touch of varnish that would hint at bourbon, perhaps, and then really a good lot of liquorice, with touches of violets (sweets). Finish: rather long, perhaps a little rustic now, but then again this is an asset. Grapes stewed in liquorice sauce. Comments: I'm rather a fan of this folle blanche. It's fascinating to be able to check the differences between the two varietals, but then of course, no two casks are the same anyway.
SGP:661 - 86 points.

And then, naturally…

Château de Lacquy 2007 'Colombard 100%' (48%, OB, Bas-armagnac, cask #235, +/-2021)

I'm not even sure I've ever tried a 100% colombard (not mentioning wine here, of course). Colour: richer gold. Nose: I'm finding more oils this time, marzipan, sunflower oil, then orange blossom and honeysuckle, heather honey, maraschino, yellow peaches, dandelions… Mouth: I'd dare call this one a little 'cognacqy', with rather more honeys, raisins and syrups (cane), then herbs such as wormwood and a little marmalade. A kind of earthy liquorice in the background, and indeed a growing earthiness. You do feel some tension in the back, although you would also find a little burnt sugar. Finish: medium, with some grassiness, fruit peel, liquorice wood in the aftertaste… Comments: frankly, I like them all. It's the liquorice that's a little more spectacular in this one.
SGP:561 - 83 points.

Let's move to Cognac and go somewhat vertical…

Maison Prunier 45 yo 1975 (48.6%, The Purist Belgium, Petite Champagne, 450 bottles, +/-2020)

Colour: full gold. Nose: very gentle at first, we're rather on nougat here, acacia honey, mullein syrup, juicy sultanas, oriental pastries, earl grey… Tends to move towards old-Sauternes territory after a good two minutes, with apricots, mirabelles, more honey, and wee whiffs of rose petals. No you don't say 'wee' in Cognac, but there, I suppose one cannot change his own nature. Mouth: surprisingly fresh given that this was distilled while Mick Taylor was still with the Stones (was he not?) with superb menthol and both fresh and crystallised fruits, with touches of aniseed and lime. Figs, raisins, and a grassy rusticity in the back. Stalk, pips, liquorice wood… Finish: rather long, even a tad hot, still pretty rustic. Comments: excellent, an old cognac that's perhaps more for your hipflask than for your lounge!
SGP:661 - 89 points.

Fanny Fougerat 'Type 73' (49.6%, OB, Petite Champagne, 510 bottles, +/-2021)

This is 100% ugni blanc; I believe Fanny Fougerat is part of the new wave of cognac makers, while it looks like the reputation keeps growing. Colour: gold. Nose: really soft and really delicate like an old sémillon from the Sauternes region. Mirabelles, pink bananas, mulberries, hints of elderberries, zucchini flowers, fresh cigars, grape pips oil… It really isn't your average old cognac on the nose. Pretty subtle and, to use older Bruichladdich vocabulary, 'reflective'. Mouth: tight, tense, fresh, fruity and without any kind of 'old-cognac' antics. I'm finding notes of sorb (eau-de-vie) and sloe, some delicate herbal notes (Wulong tea),then rather plum skins and spirits. Superb touches of verbena in the background, I'd kill for a glass of proper old verbena liqueur (why always chartreuse?) Finish: not too long but gracefully herbal and slightly mentholy. A little aniseed and, once again, verbena. Comments: a rather delicate, elegantly self-restrained old petite champagne. 1973? Isn't that the year of John Cale's 'Paris 1919'? I believe I'm about to listen to this fantastic album again, with a glass of Fanny Fougerat's very lovely Type 73 in hand.
SGP:651 - 90 points.

Down the years towards Marc Bolan…

François Voyer 'Lot 71 La Fête' (43.3%, Malternatives Belgium, 42 bottles)

I may have said before that our Belgian friends are very good at selecting old French brandies, not just at playing futbol against us (grin). Colour: deep gold. Nose: ueber-easy fruit-salad-y old cognac, absolutely stunning with this incredible freshness, just shock-full of fresh apples, peaches, pears, bananas, papayas and… a family pack of liquorice allsorts. A little vetiver, ylang-ylang, jasmine… It is impressively fruity and fresh and I cannot not wonder if it didn't stem from an old demi-john rather than from a cask. Mouth: same fruity extravaganza, more tropical this time, with pink grapefruits, litchis for sure, woodruff, Benedictine and a little green wood around the periphery. Finish: medium, with a little more honey and a little more eucalyptus from the oak. Soft pine liqueur and thyme tea. Comments: so, demi-john or cask? The jury's still out but the score is very high again.
SGP:561 - 90 points.

Perhaps a very last one…

Martell 1956 (43%, OB for La Maison du Whisky's 65th Anniversary, Grand Champagne, 2021)

An amazing Baccarat decanter (rings a bell, doesn't it) harbouring an old Cognac that was distilled right when La Maison du Whisky was founded by Mr Georges Benitah. Which, in truth, makes this Cognac no less than a 65 years old. Colour: gold. Nose: to this humble taster Martell means Cordon Bleu, especially some of those stunning older ones with their Kork'n'Seal closures (a.k.a. spring caps, a.k.a. nail breakers). Check the magnums! What's sure is that this 1956 is fresh as a daisy, rather on flowers indeed (gorse?) then on tangerines and pink grapefruits, maracuja, rhubarb, lemon tarte (with meringue), with something reminiscent of a great pinot gris by a great Alsatian wine house. What's really striking me today is that we never, ever came across anything even remotely rancioty; now I'm also finding quite some gentian spirit in this nose! Remember, gentian equals utter glory in spirits. Mouth: great oak, great old wine barrique, a feeling of dunnage, herbal tea (chamomile), then mangos and maracuja again, rhubarb tarte (more meringue in the way, hurray!) then peaches, mirabelles, nectarines, a little cocoa and coffee, with just touches of sandal and cedar woods. Mind you, sixty-five years sheltered from the fracas of our world! Finish: it wouldn't even lose steam at the finish, even if, as expected, this isn't quite its best side. It's not unusual, in my little tasting book, that very old spirits would not be their best selves at this point. In short, it's a little dry and tea-ish, nothing abnormal. Comments: third 90 in a row, let's call this a tasting session.
SGP:561 - 90 points.

Check the index of all cognacs or armagnacs we've tasted so far