
December 17, 2023

Time for some spirited and festive Armagnac again

Let's see what we have, there should be quite some pretty festive little Bas-Armagnac or Ténarèze queuing at WF Towers… And let's kick this off with a fresh little 'Scottish' armagnac…

Wonderful mobile still at Château Lassale-Baqué
(Lassale-Baqué)

Baron de Sigognac 10 yo (40%, Dram Mor, armagnac, cask #12.2.2, 360 bottles, 2023)

This a blend of three vintages. Sigognac is a rather old brand, part of the Bordeneuve group. Curious to see what some Scots would have done with an easy little armagnac such as a 10 yo à 40% vol… Colour: gold. Nose: it's light indeed, a little grassy, with some straw, hay, fruit peel, nicely grapy and stalky, without much oak influence. Touches of fresh mint. Rather the type of armagnac that they quaff as a long drink in the southwest of France. This translates, over there, to adding a small ice cube in a very large glass of said liquid. Mouth: fresh, easy, lively, with good liquorice, touches of aniseed, a curious pinch of salt and more grape skins, pips and stalk, as in a marc. Finish: medium, on rather grassy notes. Comments: so, where's that ice cube? One must say that we are really no longer accustomed to these very light alcohol levels, but it's pretty, pretty good for sure.
SGP:351 - 82 points.

Château de Bordeneuve 17 yo 2005/2003 (49.2%, Dram Mor, armagnac, cask #00.1.3, 300 bottles)

From 80% ugni blanc, the remainder being baco. It doesn't say so on the label, but I believe Bordeneuve is Bas-armagnac, from those famous fauve sands terroirs. Colour: gold. Nose: I'm finding tiny whiffs of coal smoke, quite bizarrely, then rather fresh liquorice and stewed peaches and apricots, which is quite typical. Surely firmer than the Sigognac, while that's not only the higher alcohol. Some muscovado chiming in after a while. Mouth: closer to the style of the Sigognac, rather grapy, with some liquorice and peaches, some honey, some mead, overripe apples, rather a little oak… These juices generally become quite magical after thirty or forty years in the cask, I especially remember a stupendous 1972 that we had tried in January this year (a Sigognac Old Master Spirits, WF 91). Finish: medium, meady, grassy. Peach skin. A little green wood in the aftertaste. Comments: still a little rustic but extremely all right.
SGP:451 - 84 points.

Château Lassale Baqué 1995/2023 (49.3%, ROW Spirits, Ténarèze, cask #6, 600 bottles)

We're in Montréal du Gers this time. Colour: deep gold. Nose: this one is bursting with preserved fruits, including the expected peaches. One also discovers a very pleasant floral aspect, a touch of lilac, heather calluna, meadow honey, fresh sultanas, dried figs… It's very, very pretty and, it seems, rather gentle for an old Ténarèze. That's because 1995 was twenty-eight years ago! Mouth: it is difficult to resist this ultra-classic style, firm and round at the same time, with a side of roasting, black tea and burnt wood initially, then fruits that kind of assert themselves, especially prunes and Corinthian raisins. More dried apricots than peaches this time in the background, as well as a hint of mint. The mouthfeel is perfect. Finish: quite long, rather fresh, the palate is never overwhelmed, there's even a bit of green apple. Comment: a frank and loyal style, quite spirited, never suffocating, with a very controlled woodiness. Nothing to fault at all.
SGP:651 – 88 points.

Château (de) Laubade 17 yo 2006/2023 (54.8%, Watt Armagnac, Bas-armagnac)

More armagnac as selected by some Scottish friends! This is all one world. Colour: amber. Nose: there's power and a Scotch malt aspect I just can't shake off. We should display the names of the spirits – it's essential for building coherent line-ups – but not those of the bottlers, I believe. A very, very lovely hint of candied sugar and maple syrup, pear cake, a young, quite fresh rancio, heather honey… With water: it becomes even more aromatic, with even more heather honey and very ripe mirabelle plums. Mouth: again, there's power and a slight malty edge, roasted dried fruits, a bit of burnt sultanas on a cake fresh out of the oven, grilled almonds, a hint of cedarwood and menthol tobacco… It's not at all surprising that this wee one could charm the Scots (and us by the same token). With water: I'm dreaming, is there really a salty note, and even a bit of rum? Finish: long, rather rich, with vanilla, a touch of mint and a bit of aniseed in addition to quite a lot of liquorice. Nevertheless, the aftertaste is fresh and spirited. Comment: a nifty control job done from Campbeltown. Must be that, that slightly salty edge.
SGP:651 - 87 points.

Let's try a very young one for a change…

Ladevèze 2019/2023 (53%, ROW Spirits, Ténarèze, cask #21, 142 bottles)

Made from Mauzac rosé, an older varietal that's to be found for example in Gaillac. Very uncommon in Armagnac, probably a 'forgotten grape'. They grow it on only half a hectare! Let's see if this very young Ténarèze will knock our socks off… Colour: light gold. Nose: it's a bit like a 'reposado' white Armagnac, if you will, and I find that quite fantastic, with a clear earthy and pebbly side but also, I'm not dreaming this time, a touch of mezcal with a very complex herbal aspect. There are also these fermentation notes that will fade quickly over time. I really like it a lot. With water: elderflower and cumin, plus liquorice wood. Mouth (neat): we are a bit in uncharted territory, with lots of herbal, rooty and earthy spices, it's almost like a new spirit. Cinnamon, caraway, mezcal again but also cachaça… Plus, this Ténarèze is funny! With water: crazier and crazier, it's almost like a very, very, very good wooded gin. Finish: long, slightly on the toothpaste side, plus all these spices. The caraway remains very present. Comment: I love it. I really wonder how this slightly improbable but superb thing will age. Imagine, pink Mauzac.
SGP:562 - 88 points.

Fontan 26 yo 1996/2023 (55.1%, Grape of the Art, Bas-armagnac, cask #B116, 462 bottles)

Ugni blanc, dry cellar, and a house, Fontan, whose full potential I have yet to discover. Colour: amber. Nose: very round, with very soft spices, roasted pineapple, acacia honey, agricole rum, a bit of coconut milk, vanilla pods... Are we not in Martinique? But notes of sweet wine, even pineau, bring us back to reality. With water: it becomes more floral, with dandelion and also jasmine. A very slight rye whiskey background. Mouth (neat): indeed, it is ultra-fruity, full of jams and canned fruits, pineapple, pear, or even banana. With water: a woody note akin to tea awakens, but the whole remains very fruity, with numerous fruit liqueurs and even marshmallow notes. It's almost like Balblair. Finish: medium length, sweet, fruity, floral. A bit of redcurrant jelly. More woodiness in the aftertaste, which is more than normal at 26 years of age. Comment: a massive fruitiness, almost a bit monolithic but very impressive. Martinique or Ireland? (or Balblair?)
SGP:741 - 87 points.

Darroze 39 yo 1984/2023 'Domaine de Bellair' (48%, Darroze, Unique Collection, Bas-armagnac)

This is well cask-strength, with no reduction. Love it when they don't feel the need to toy with decimals, as many do because that feels 'even more cask strength'. Even when it's not (hey Scotland). Also love it that they wouldn't have waited for just a few more months so that it would have become 40. The Domaine de Bellair is no longer in operation today, so it's somewhat of a St. Magdalene of armagnac, if one may say so. Colour: amber. Nose: it's immediately magical, with firstly a majestic coffee and cigars profile. Behind that, grilled walnuts and hazelnuts, praline, dried figs, dates and an old orange liqueur whose brand has long been forgotten. Wrongly, of course. Nothing to add, it's more than perfect on the nose. Mouth: oh là là. The wood is slightly pronounced, with a bit of burnt coffee, but the rest remains focused on candied oranges and dried dates, stuffed with marzipan of course. Touches of woodruff and absinthe add a bit of freshness to the mix, and that's unbeatable. A bit of dried meat too. Finish: not extremely long but all those little candied fruits, coupled with a bit of fresh mint, play their part to perfection. Comment: well, they could have waited a few months, it wasn't urgent to bottle it before it even reached its fortieth birthday. A simple vanity, so to speak, of the kind 'we're above these somewhat vulgar notions'. Well, I imagine…
SGP:651 - 92 points.

Another Darroze seems to be in order…

Darroze 50 yo 1973/2023 'Domaine de La Poste' (48%, Darroze, Unique Collection, Ténarèze)

If they manage to maintain a fixed strength like this without diluting the spirits, this implies they achieve the precise degrees (slightly rounded as is permitted) by blending batches, as did, for example, Springbank. Hats off to them! And have you noticed we're back in Ténarèze? Colour: copper amber. Nose: admirable but less aromatic and flamboyant than the 1984. Probably more classic, with melted tannins, candied oranges, prunes, tobacco, chocolate, coffee, a few bay leaves, and simply patchouli, a bit of eucalyptus and rose petals. One might play a Jefferson Airplane CD on the stereo, since it seems Spotify only steals from artists and is nearing a global boycott. Almost. Nose: here we are closer to the 1984, with a woody presence but as high quality teas, plus prunes, orange marmalade and those menthol and liquorice notes that would propel any old spirit towards the refreshing side one would always expect. Even from a fifty-year-old Ténarèze. Finish: medium length, with woody spices, cedar, cinnamon, black tea. Inevitably a little less lively than the 1984. Comment: adorable old Ténarèze. I've had the chance to taste many in my life without taking notes, most had a wooden juice aspect which is admirably absent from this one. The fruitiness remains incredible.
SGP:661 – 90 points.

Another 1973, please…

Château de Lacaze 1973/2023 (46.6%, La Maison du Whisky, Version Française, Bas-armagnac, 300 bottles)

It's amusing to note that, perhaps also as a vanity, the distinguished bottlers of this ancient beverage (imagine, in 1973 Lou Reed's Berlin was released) do not even specify the age of this armagnac, which should be either 49 or 50 years old. However, they do inform us that it first spent 18 months in new oak, then the rest in less active casks. The exact opposite of what the Scots do, 'all at the last moment' (a.k.a. the finishings). Colour: light amber. Nose: starts with ripe apple and wet limestone, then an incredible herbal freshness for its age and some notes of ham and even smoked fish. It's after this that the tropical fruits come in, with mango leading, followed by little pink bananas, papayas, and wild strawberries. Yes, we know that wild strawberry isn't exactly 'tropical'. Mouth: it's perfect, very elegant, heavy on the darjeeling and blood orange to begin with, then earl grey, with a return of the wet limestone, or rather chalk. Certain aspects almost remind us of a famous Speyside malt starting with 'M'. I mean, of from certain old bottles of said malt starting with an M. Finish: perfect, long, both rich and refreshing. Bitter oranges, liquorice, a certain saltiness, walnut cake, touches of pepper… Comment: simply tremendous. It converges with the very greatest old malt whiskies. But then, is it 49 years old or 50?
SGP:661 – 91 points.

No beating around the bush, we need one last 1973 before closing shop for today. How about this one that's a bit younger...

Domaine de Lasgraves 1973/2013 (46%, OB, Le Frêche, Bas-armagnac)

This time we're in the Landes at a rather legendary small estate where the oak used for the casks comes from the estate itself. Imagine that, who can top it? Considering there are so many spirits in the world for which not a single one of the main ingredients comes from the production region. Sometimes not even from the same country... Incidentally, these armagnacs are never bottled in advance; they are bottled as orders come in. Colour: copper amber. Nose: very ripe and especially very floral, with peony, orange blossom, reseda, then cedar wood, pine needles, liquorice, not too heavy pipe tobacco, gingerbread, coriander seed... All of this is very coherent and simply magnificent. But let's not forget that 1973 was also the year of Sun Ra's 'Space Is The Place' (now, that's something, S....). Mouth: exceptional woody character, very refined, with burnt oak and charcoal, black tea, bitter chocolate, mocha, then we have very strong honey (chestnut) and candied oranges. The reseda then returns, with peppermint and more candied lemons. A side of tobacco and menthol completes it all. It's also true that these armagnacs are exclusively aged in new oak, you can tell. Finish: long, with more notes of charcoal, then more candied oranges, even kumquat and bergamots. A superb finish. The aftertaste is rather on pine, menthol, and beech smoke. Comment: a very unique style that I've really not found elsewhere. Isn't that what we expect from a 'grand cru'? Generally, rather a lot of woodiness is a major flaw in any spirit. Well, not here.
SGP:562 - 93 points.

A perfect grand finale, this tasting session is concluded, over to you, Planet Earth.

P.S.: It would be much more logical to talk about a vintage effect for armagnacs or cognacs than for malts, since it is necessarily much more pronounced on grapes. However, 1973 was not a great year for the wines of the southwestern quarter of France, with a lot of rain during the harvest and rather lean wines… That said, these profiles do not necessarily translate after distillation, as we have seen proof of today.

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