More grand armagnacs


January 26, 2025

A word of caution
Let me please remind you that my humble assessments of any spirits are done from the point of view of a malt whisky enthusiast who, what's more, is aboslutely not an expert in rum, brandy, tequila, vodka, gin or any other spirits. Thank you – and peace!

More grand armagnacs

We had some truly wonderful ones last Sunday, and we’ll probably continue in the same vein today, with a rather special selection. After all, life’s too short…

Arthur Schopenhauer (1788-1860)
"Constantly oscillating between the torments of desire and the tedium of its fulfilment" (quoted very freely).

Hontambère 2013/2024 (49.8%, OB, Rare Armagnac Collection, Ténarèze, cask #A24)

This cask-strength Folle Blanche was matured in French oak and stored in a dry cellar. We already enjoyed an excellent 2011 Baco from Hontambère last Sunday. Colour: gold. Nose: lovely tension on citrus, starting slightly kirsch-like at first, with a touch of parsley, then moving into praline and nougat while remaining quite vibrant and fruity. It evolves towards orgeat syrup, orange marmalade, and damson tart. Very compact and elegant, though a little camphor emerges later, adding further depth. Mouth: splendid power, with a certain tannic grip and red fruit notes reminiscent of a very young Bordeaux. That doesn’t last long, however, as it shifts towards liquorice and praline, with a faint salinity and a slight herbal quality that hints at its youth. Finish: long, more precise, with fruity herbal teas, then pepper and touches of paraffin. Comments: very good, rather vigorous, though let’s not forget that even at “only” 49.8%, it’s cask strength!
SGP:561 - 88 points.

Château de Laubade 2006/2022 (52.9%, OB, Bas-armagnac, cask #F1994-071, chai #1, tirage #1)

We’re in the Gers with this renowned house, which here offers us a blend of Baco, Ugni Blanc, and Plant de Graisse—a rare and ancient variety from the Gouais family that nearly vanished from the region with the arrival of phylloxera. Colour: deep gold. Nose: more classic, slightly rounder, yet highly aromatic, with violet scents alongside orange cake and honeysuckle. Beautiful. With water: as often with these spirits, water reveals an earthy touch, along with black nougat, a hint of dried Caesar mushroom powder (crazy stuff), and even a trace of gunpowder. Splendid – but peace! Mouth (neat): a slightly creamy and luscious start, quickly underpinned by beautiful black pepper, then developing into oranges, candied quince, and the same violets as on the nose. With water: superb spiced orange marmalade, enhanced by a touch of vanilla and liquorice. Finish: very long, now more herbal and rustic, with green tea and liquorice wood. Comments: a true delight. I know some Armagnac producers offer pure Plant de Graisse, and we’ll certainly try to find one.
SGP:561 - 88 points.

Charron 2004/2024 (51.3%, Grape of the Art, cask #95, 256 bottles)

This time it’s Baco matured in a wet cellar rather than a dry one. We’ve always enjoyed the official bottlings from Domaine de Charron—you know, the famous labels adorned with the typical Gascon zebras (right, indeed, S., after a few glasses, perhaps…). Colour: full gold. Nose: it opens on glue and varnish, much like a good bourbon, then moves towards kirsch, cherry stones, and even a spirited young Pinot Noir (which, of course, has nothing to do with adding Pinot Noir to your spirit, as the Scots sometimes kind of do). It remains very compact for now, which we rather like. With water: little change, still tightly knit on the nose. Mouth (neat): quite explosive, again with varnish but also sweetcorn, followed by what feels like a mountain of ripe peaches of various kinds. Black cherries make a strong return as well. With water: incredible—barely any change, almost like an all-terrain Armagnac. Finish: long, leaning more towards chocolate rum-raisin, but without excessive sweetness. The cherries return to bid farewell in the aftertaste. Comments: remarkably compact, with a highly unorthodox profile.
SGP:661 - 89 points.

Uby-18-yo-XL-43-OB-for-Wine4you-Bas-armagnac-2013

Uby 18 yo ‘XL’ (43%, OB for Wine4you, Bas-armagnac, 2013)
I believe Domaine Uby are more renowned for their wines (Côtes-de-Gascogne), though I’ve not tried any yet. Their Armagnacs are known for their very, shall we say, ‘transgressive’ packaging. Colour: gold. Nose: a very round, seductive style, packed with dried and stewed fruits, even banana beyond figs and raisins. It then evolves towards liquorice allsorts with amusing and unexpected touches of cumin and charcoal. Freshly baked cakes straight from the oven. Mouth: an ultra-aromatic and fruity profile, almost exotic or even oriental. Piles of dried figs, sultanas, honeyed pastries, orange blossom, a hint of caraway, and always those liquorice allsorts. Finish: slightly sweet, rather long given the strength, still on dried and stewed fruits. A mentholated, liquorice-like, and muscaty note lingers in the aftertaste. Comments: danger alert—at 43%, you might find yourself tempted to sip more than is reasonable. Shamefully excellent.
SGP:751 - 87 points.

Sourdois 1986/2024 (51%, Poh! Spirits, Bas-armagnac)

Sourdois 1986/2024 (51%, Poh! Spirits, Bas-armagnac)
A 38-year-old Baco from the Sourdois Lacourt distillery in Toujouse (no typo), Gers. This is the first Armagnac from Sourdois that we have the pleasure of tasting. Colour: mahogany. Nose: decidedly old-school, heavily on prunes and coffee liqueur, with strawberry and mirabelle jam, followed by a subtle and elegant meaty note (game, beef jerky, sushi sauce, lovage). With water: soy sauce and fresh ink take the lead, followed by a sack of charcoal. Mouth (neat): rich, creamy, and very woody, yet completely in line with a highly traditional Armagnac style. A Sunday Armagnac, we might say. Menthol, pine resin, bitter chocolate, coffee, and prunes. With water: much the same, with added roasted pine nuts and a mentholated edge. Finish: long, pleasantly bitter, featuring Corsican myrtle liqueur and liquorice wood. The wood lingers beautifully in the aftertaste. Comments: this style is a bit like an old black-and-white film—more charm than entertainment compared to, say the latest South Korean Netflix series, but undeniably delightful in its own way.
SGP:461 - 88 points.

Lasalle Baqué 1982/2024 (48.6%, Poh! Spirits, Ténarèze)

Lasalle Baqué 1982/2024 (48.6%, Poh! Spirits, Ténarèze)
A pure Ugni Blanc (hence all the fruit) from Montréal. Montréal-du-Gers, of course. We’ve already enjoyed excellent Lassalle Baqué before. Colour: full gold. Nose: sheer indulgence, with intense yet subtle fruitiness—heavy vineyard peaches, well-behaved sultanas, blooming wisteria, and perhaps a tiny piece of fresh pineapple. Generous quantities of wildflower honey coat everything beautifully, much to our delight. The polar opposite of the Sourdois, in a way. Mouth: superb, with a thunderous fruitiness mingling with soft spices and delightful liquorice. The oak makes itself known again but here it only punctuates waves of fruits—ripe, candied, dried, or jammy in turn. Prunes and apricots take centre stage. Finish: long, with bursts of tobacco and dark chocolate. As often, it’s some slightly mentholated liquorice that lingers in the aftertaste. Comments: the best of both worlds—the austerity of the wood and the exuberance of the fruit, perfectly synchronised.
SGP:661 - 90 points.

Domaine de Baraillon 1976-1979/2024 (42%, OB, Bas-armagnac for Passion for Whisky)

Domaine de Baraillon 1976-1979/2024 (42%, OB, Bas-armagnac for Passion for Whisky)
A twin vintage here, though the years are very close—1976 being legendary due to the extreme heatwave that struck France that year. Naturally, the French state took the opportunity to raise extra taxes. Let me remind you that in Armagnac, the vintage refers to the harvest year, not the distillation year, unlike in Scotland. Colour: amber. Nose: it’s unbearable—these Baraillons are always magical, it’s almost boring. Stuff for Schopenhauerians, as with these babies, one oscillates between the suffering of desire when you don’t have them, and the boredom of total satisfaction when you do. Alright, enough nonsense, the nose is sublime, with a slightly acidic edge that elevates everything, exactly as in all truly great wines. Very impressive. Mouth: absolutely splendid, like a truly great black tea now—seriously, a very great black tea. Almost transcendental (don’t ask me how that ties into Schopenhauer). Finish: not immense, but still all about that remarkable black tea, now joined by a saline and chocolatey touch. Comments: total oneness—not easily broken down into components, but only the finest spirits can offer such an experience.
SGP:652 - 92 points.

Last one please…

Domaine Bellair 1974/2024 (44.9%, L’Encantada for LMDW, Foundations, Bas-armagnac)

100% Baco here, theoretically with more texture than Ugni Blancs, which are thought to be fruitier. Colour: full gold. Nose: incredible. I read in the LMDW catalogue that this Armagnac reminded them of Calvados, and they were absolutely right—it’s like an excellent old Calvados, only a bit rounder. Amazing! Gentle earthiness, apples galore, honeydew, farm cider, then a handful of herbs—chervil, tarragon, watercress… Truly impressive, already showing significant tertiary development, and simply beautiful. By the way, 2024-1974=50. Mouth: the most astonishing thing is how seamlessly it continues on the palate. You could almost copy and paste what we scribbled about the nose. What kind of sorcery is this? Only after a good five minutes does the grape start peeking through, with the familiar notes of vineyard peaches and raisins. Finish: not immense, but quite magnificent. And of course, we couldn’t end without mentioning tarte tatin. Comments: immensely impressive. This delightful old Armagnac reminds us that, with age, mature spirits tend to converge. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if the same were true of politicians?
SGP:661 - 91 points.

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