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| Hello, that is certainly one of our (nearly) day by day tastings. Santé! |
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Mars 13, 2022
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Some extra French fines
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Keep in mind, a tremendous is distilled wine, whereas a marc is distilled spent grapes. By definition, cognac and armagnac are fines and so is okay de Bourgogne, for instance, while marc de Bourgogne is marc (bravo, S.!) This time once more we’ll kick this off with a bit of apéritif…
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Ducastaing la Baïse ‘VSOP’ (40%, OB, Armagnac, +/-2021) 
Within the phrase Baïse, the umlaut is vital. If you don’t communicate French, please simply drop that. That is some very old-school Armagnac from Condom, Gers, which makes the identify even funnier. However that is sufficient sauciness, let’s do that child… Color: gold. Nostril: not that ‘old-school’, or ‘vieille-école’, really, somewhat contemporary, fruity and seemingly fairly younger. Tender liquorice, liquorice allsorts, peach and quince jelly, then a couple of flowers, principally dandelion, plus maple syrup and chestnut honey. No complains at this level, that is nice, contemporary and simple. Mouth: feels actually younger, rustic, easy, grassier on the palate, a bit of spirity, maybe a bit of forgettable. Fruit peeling, contemporary eau-de-vie, a wee vinosity, some grapes, raisins, plum spirit (prune)… End: medium, grassy, quite simple, very rustic. Some greenish oak within the aftertaste, plus raisins, liquorice wooden and banana pores and skin. Feedback: to your fishing hipflask, maybe. It is good, clearly, however I’d not fairly name this ‘a malternative’.
SGP:451 – 76 factors. |
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Jean-Luc Pasquet 2006/2021 ‘Natural’ (50.1%, OB, cognac, Grande Champagne, for Kirsch Import) 
Some property Cognac from the Pasquet property, so grown, harvested, distilled and matured by themselves. Color: gold. Nostril: many stewed fruits in some candy wine sauce, with dollops of acacia honey and some pencil shavings thrown in. With water: some a lot sudden whiffs of contemporary oil paint, then contemporary rhubarb and lower cactus, or agave. A tiny drop of turpentine, drawing gum, then white asparagus. Briefly, this one’s fairly singular, in a great way. Mouth (neat): potent, eau-de-vie-ish, a bit of grassy, paying homage to some glorious marc de Bourgogne (somewhat than tremendous). With water: vine peaches stewed in white wine, a wee echo of pineau, then vanilla and a sense of white oak (whereas it is most definitely French oak). End: somewhat lengthy, with numerous smooth liquorice plus vanilla. Feedback: this one’s clearly malternative, and most glorious. Discount on the spot is tough to do, although, cautious along with your pipette as a result of some tannins are keen to leap out.
SGP:551 – 86 factors. |
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Paul Beau ‘Hors d’Âge’ (43%, OB, cognac, Grande Champagne, +/-2019) 
In response to the good people at The Whisky Trade, this child’s received buckets of awards and medals. Which, I agree, is all the time a bit of suspicious, however their VSOP was very okay final time we tried it (WF 79). It’s a very conventional home. Color: amber. Nostril: it is a tremendous, balanced, jammy and fruity cognac, with good citrus (marmalade) and maple honey, plus the same old stewed peaches, then quince jelly and mirabelle jam. Very centered on jams and honey, it might not wander into spicy or natural territories but, to not point out something tertiary. Mouth: led by marmalade and honey as soon as extra, this time with small mentholy and liquoricy touches flying round. The a lot anticipated raisins are quickly to take over, along with oriental pastries (baklava) and notes of burnt muffins. End: medium, a notch grassier, with touches of bell pepper. Some blood oranges, stalk… Feedback: fairly good things however I am unsure it’s going to rock my world, or deserve the WF Double Gold De La Muerte Award, ought to that ever exist (what’s your opinion?) The 43% vol. are a bit of low too.
SGP:551 – 80 factors. |
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Château de Laubade 1989/2018 ‘Brut de Fût’ (49.2%, OB, Bas-armagnac, cask #90014) 
A mix of baco, ugni blanc and colombard. We have been joyful to be taught, from the label, that the casks was mendacity in chai N°5 (warehouse #5) and that this was tirage N°3 (third disgorging). As traditional, that is single-estate armagnac. Color: full gold. Nostril: fairly a couple of steps above the cognac, with very good notes of espresso, walnut cake, cigars, charcoal, then tarte tatin and quince tarte. A beautiful earthiness within the background, even a couple of notes of morels and porcini. Wow wow wow. Mouth: this will probably be quick certainly, what a beautiful, tight, nervous, agency armagnac! There may be an old-schoolness to this one (espresso, rancio, toasted oak) in addition to some natural liqueurs, particularly Verveine du Velay. Large, immense, great notes of Verveine du Velay. As a matter of truth, I am the #1 fan of Verveine du Velay (though that will somewhat are typically an old style liqueur for outdated girls). No disgrace, no disgrace in any respect. End: lengthy, even better, all the time with a number of verveine/verbena, though orange and citron liqueurs, in addition to raisins would are inclined to supplant that in direction of the aftertaste. Feedback: completely very good. Good age. It is to be remembered that 1989 was an ideal classic within the southwest of France, together with in Bordeaux.
SGP:661 – 90 factors. |
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Château de Lacquy 2001 ‘100% baco’ (47%, OB, Bas-armagnac, cask #320, 336 bottles, +/-2021) 
So, a hundred percent baco right here, and a single cask. Color: gold. Nostril: some full-flown fruity armagnacness, filled with jammy fruits, particularly mirabelles and quinces, then varied honeys. I do know that was quick, however his nostril is great and brilliantly easy and easy. Keep in mind, whereas complexity’s an apparent asset in spirits, simplicity could be simply stunning as nicely. Mouth: a tad oakier now, with wooden shavings and bitter chocolate, additionally espresso beans and powerful liquorice. One thing pine-y and even teak-y. Maybe not completely consensual, however while malt stays a bit of too skinny to face this type of therapy, a superb, strong armagnac will bear it with panache and even glory (S., please, that is solely booze). End: lengthy, with a bit of extra citrus (kumquats). Feedback: we regularly name armagnac ‘rustic’ and certainly that is ‘rustic’ on the palate, however I’d say it really works extraordinarily nicely, particularly after a mound, and I imply a mound of foie gras and ceps. Or duck confit (insert mild burp right here).
SGP:551 – 89 factors. |
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Domaine de Baraillon 1958/2021 (41%, OB, Bas-armagnac)
That is Baraillon by Claverie, #1 armagnac at Château Whiskyfun, so we’ll simply say nothing. I imply, earlier than we strive it… Color: amber. Nostril: #1 = butterscotch, #2 = millionaire shortbread, #3 = currant, #4 dried small Turkish figs, #5 = fifty years outdated Yquem from any classic, #6 = bliss. Mouth: we typically say that outdated spirits would are inclined to converge and certainly, you would be forgiven for saying that is some outdated rum. Having stated that, it might have misplaced a little bit of its brightness and have become a bit of drying, extraordinarily chocolaty, coffeeish, nearly tarry, and positively fairly glutamate-y and salty. Sensible outdated armagnac, it is simply that it might have misplaced a (giant) a part of its glow. End: medium, somewhat on bouillon, lovage, espresso and miso. Mocha and tobacco within the aftertaste. Feedback: simply su-perb, as anticipated, however probably a wee bit previous its prime. Now, we completely beloved the mocha within the aftertaste.
SGP:362 – 87 factors. |
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Bas-armagnac 1946/2021 (41.4%, Grosperrin for The Auld Alliance, 34 bottles)
That is post-war armagnac, so we’ll do that one for Ukraine! Color: amber. Nostril: extraordinarily contrasting after the 1958, that’s to say shock-full of jams, preserved fruits (apricots, peaches) and outdated white wines. We shan’t record them, however nice outdated Meursaults are springing to my thoughts. Coming fairly sudden are clear notes of white chocolate and a floralness that is not meant to look in a, wait, 2021-1946=75 years outdated brandy. Effectively, certainly, part of these 75 years could have been spent in a demijohn, which would not depend when calculating the actual ‘age’ of this glorious outdated armagnac. Splitting hairs, as soon as extra. Mouth: ha, mushrooms, outdated pipe tobacco, cocoa, workplace espresso, umami sauce, chicory espresso, Bovril… All that on a lighter, though not fairly too fragile physique. Very dry in actual fact, nearly amontillado-y. End: medium, extraordinarily dry. Meaty chocolate and black tea. Feedback: all of the traits of an outdated wine that you shouldn’t, maybe, choose as if it had been a well-bred, but nonetheless younger cru. Relatively mental, which does not shock me one bit.
SGP:361 – 86 factors. |
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We have got numerous wartime armagnacs and cognacs but to style, however I do not really feel like tasting them simply now. No, not now. Relatively again to the Nineteen Eighties, and we’ll be completed this time.
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Château de Laubade 1986/2019 ‘Brut de Fût’ (48.5%, OB, Bas-armagnac, cask #90024)
First tirage right here, and warehouse #5 as soon as extra. They have been distilling each ugni blanc and baco right here. Baco, really baco blanc (there is a black/noir baco too) is a cross of Folle blanche and Noah, created in 1898 by Mr Baco in order that it might resist Phylloxera whereas retaining the principle traits of the standard folle blanche. Ugni blanc is simply one other identify for trebbiano. Color: deep gold. Nostril: these Laubades ‘brut de fût’ are all fairly stellar. This time I am discovering a beautiful chocolateness, notes of Ethiopian mocha, some hardwood mud, and diverse black tealeaves. Within the background, ‘vieille prune’ (outdated plum eau-de-vie, when it is good it is superb, when it is dangerous it is very dangerous. Proper). Mouth: completely old-school. That is the type of armagnac you’d drink everytime you would attend a bullfight (corrida) down there within the Gers. Very dry, oloroso-like, with a lot espresso and bitter chocolate, with a drop of salty beef inventory. Plum spirit preventing again within the background. End: lengthy, dry, on extra plum, espresso and chocolate. Feedback: you would nearly consider that is some outdated slivovitz. Simply very good, however the Laubade 1989 stays my favorite.
SGP:352 – 87 factors. |
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