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| Hello, that is certainly one of our (nearly) every day tastings. Santé! |
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October 10, 2021
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Malter-native French brandies
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We’ve a number of wine brandies right here in France however we’ll solely have armagnacs at present, and perhaps cognacs too. Let’s simply proceed…
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Dartigalongue ‘Double-Oaked Armagnac’ (43.3%, OB, Bas-armagnac, +/-2021) 
Dartigalongue is a superb, nice home however I do not fairly know what to think about this younger armagnac that is making sheep’s eyes at trendy malt whisky. I simply hope they’re going to preserve it ‘double’ and by no means go ‘triple’, to not point out sevenfold (we’re you, Isle of Jura). By the way in which this little double is a mix of the three essential grape varietals, baco, ugni blanc and folle blanche. Color: gold. Nostril: do we actually really feel the oak complement? Maybe in these touches of nutmeg and cinnamon, or in these notes of tropical fruits (bananas), however aside from that, I am slightly getting rose petals, peach skins, and a few barely mentholy sultanas. A bit thyme honey too, I might say, in addition to roasted sesame. Fairly contemporary, joyful, and simply beautiful. Mouth: the oak’s a bit of louder on the palate, as this was poured twice into new oak. You actually should get pleasure from cinnamon and ginger (rolls), candy paprika sauce, ras-el-hanout… Having mentioned that, raisins and peaches are maintaining the higher hand. Phew. End: medium, a bit of drying. Cinnamon powder. Feedback: actually good, the truth is, however we might nearly name this maltagnac at instances. Or armagnac with uncovered beams. Apologies.
SGP:551 – 82 factors. |
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Château de Lacquy 2007 ‘Baco 100%’ (48%, OB, Bas-armagnac, cask #318, +/-2021)
A really previous home that was based in 1711, within the Landes. It is mentioned to be the oldest producer nonetheless in exercise whereas they develop their very own vines on 25 hectares. That is pure baco, most likely #22A. Color: brilliant inexperienced gold. Nostril: it’s not a really fragrant armagnac however this tightness works simply nice and certainly, would make it resemble some malt whiskies right here and there, with some citrus, grapefruits, hints of cigarette tobacco, walnut skins, a drop of olive oil and even a bit of wholegrain bread… Mouth: very citrusy and liqueury, I could not not point out our beloved artisanal limoncellos and citron liqueurs. A contact of icing sugar, candyfloss, even banana foam, then that wholegrain bread but once more and a littler espresso. Crunching beans. End: a bit of extra oak-driven, with many spices and a sense of rye and a few sweeter buckwheat. Cinnamon within the aftertaste. Feedback: the breadiness is a bit of uncommon right here, you may nearly consider some rye whisky. I discover it excellent too.
SGP:561 – 82 factors. |
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What’s nice is that Lacquy additionally produce other single-varietals in the identical classic…
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Château de Lacquy 2007 ‘Folle Blanche 100%’ (48%, OB, Bas-armagnac, cask #8, +/-2021) 
Color: gold. Nostril: every little thing is ‘extra’ right here, extra roundness, extra jams, extra honeys, extra camphor and menthol, extra maple syrup, extra stewed peaches, a really beautiful mashy aspect (turnips?) after which after all, the anticipated raisins. Additionally williams pears. Mouth: so totally different from the baco! There’s extra motion right here, extra tropical notes (litchis, gewurztraminer), a bit of extra earth too, a curious contact of varnish that may trace at bourbon, maybe, after which actually a superb lot of liquorice, with touches of violets (sweets). End: slightly lengthy, maybe a bit of rustic now, however then once more that is an asset. Grapes stewed in liquorice sauce. Feedback: I am slightly a fan of this folle blanche. It is fascinating to have the ability to verify the variations between the 2 varietals, however then after all, no two casks are the identical anyway.
SGP:661 – 86 factors. |
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Château de Lacquy 2007 ‘Colombard 100%’ (48%, OB, Bas-armagnac, cask #235, +/-2021) 
I am not even positive I’ve ever tried a 100% colombard (not mentioning wine right here, after all). Color: richer gold. Nostril: I am discovering extra oils this time, marzipan, sunflower oil, then orange blossom and honeysuckle, heather honey, maraschino, yellow peaches, dandelions… Mouth: I might dare name this one a bit of ‘cognacqy’, with slightly extra honeys, raisins and syrups (cane), then herbs equivalent to wormwood and a bit of marmalade. A type of earthy liquorice within the background, and certainly a rising earthiness. You do really feel some rigidity within the again, though you’d additionally discover a bit of burnt sugar. End: medium, with some grassiness, fruit peel, liquorice wooden within the aftertaste… Feedback: frankly, I like all of them. It is the liquorice that is a bit of extra spectacular on this one.
SGP:561 – 83 factors. |
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Let’s transfer to Cognac and go considerably vertical…
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Maison Prunier 45 yo 1975 (48.6%, The Purist Belgium, Petite Champagne, 450 bottles, +/-2020) 
Color: full gold. Nostril: very mild at first, we’re slightly on nougat right here, acacia honey, mullein syrup, juicy sultanas, oriental pastries, earl gray… Tends to maneuver in the direction of old-Sauternes territory after a superb two minutes, with apricots, mirabelles, extra honey, and wee whiffs of rose petals. No you do not say ‘wee’ in Cognac, however there, I suppose one can’t change his personal nature. Mouth: surprisingly contemporary on condition that this was distilled whereas Mick Taylor was nonetheless with the Stones (was he not?) with very good menthol and each contemporary and crystallised fruits, with touches of aniseed and lime. Figs, raisins, and a grassy rusticity within the again. Stalk, pips, liquorice wooden… End: slightly lengthy, even a tad scorching, nonetheless fairly rustic. Feedback: glorious, an previous cognac that is maybe extra to your hipflask than to your lounge!
SGP:661 – 89 factors. |
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Fanny Fougerat ‘Sort 73’ (49.6%, OB, Petite Champagne, 510 bottles, +/-2021) 
That is 100% ugni blanc; I imagine Fanny Fougerat is a part of the brand new wave of cognac makers, whereas it appears just like the popularity retains rising. Color: gold. Nostril: actually mushy and actually delicate like an previous sémillon from the Sauternes area. Mirabelles, pink bananas, mulberries, hints of elderberries, zucchini flowers, contemporary cigars, grape pips oil… It actually is not your common previous cognac on the nostril. Fairly delicate and, to make use of older Bruichladdich vocabulary, ‘reflective’. Mouth: tight, tense, contemporary, fruity and with none type of ‘old-cognac’ antics. I am discovering notes of sorb (eau-de-vie) and sloe, some delicate natural notes (Wulong tea),then slightly plum skins and spirits. Excellent touches of verbena within the background, I might kill for a glass of correct previous verbena liqueur (why at all times chartreuse?) End: not too lengthy however gracefully natural and barely mentholy. A bit aniseed and, as soon as once more, verbena. Feedback: a slightly delicate, elegantly self-restrained previous petite champagne. 1973? Is not that the 12 months of John Cale’s ‘Paris 1919’? I imagine I am about to take heed to this unbelievable album once more, with a glass of Fanny Fougerat’s very beautiful Sort 73 in hand.
SGP:651 – 90 factors. |
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Down the years in the direction of Marc Bolan…
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François Voyer ‘Lot 71 La Fête’ (43.3%, Malternatives Belgium, 42 bottles)
I’ll have mentioned earlier than that our Belgian pals are excellent at deciding on previous French brandies, not simply at taking part in futbol towards us (grin). Color: deep gold. Nostril: ueber-easy fruit-salad-y previous cognac, completely gorgeous with this unbelievable freshness, simply shock-full of contemporary apples, peaches, pears, bananas, papayas and… a household pack of liquorice allsorts. A bit vetiver, ylang-ylang, jasmine… It’s impressively fruity and contemporary and I can’t not marvel if it did not stem from an previous demi-john slightly than from a cask. Mouth: similar fruity extravaganza, extra tropical this time, with pink grapefruits, litchis for positive, woodruff, Benedictine and a bit of inexperienced wooden across the periphery. End: medium, with a bit of extra honey and a bit of extra eucalyptus from the oak. Delicate pine liqueur and thyme tea. Feedback: so, demi-john or cask? The jury’s nonetheless out however the rating may be very excessive once more.
SGP:561 – 90 factors. |
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Maybe a really final one…
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Martell 1956 (43%, OB for La Maison du Whisky’s sixty fifth Anniversary, Grand Champagne, 2021)
An incredible Baccarat decanter (rings a bell, would not it) harbouring an previous Cognac that was distilled proper when La Maison du Whisky was based by Mr Georges Benitah. Which, in fact, makes this Cognac a minimum of a 65 years previous. Color: gold. Nostril: to this humble taster Martell means Cordon Bleu, particularly a few of these gorgeous older ones with their Kork’n’Seal closures (a.ok.a. spring caps, a.ok.a. nail breakers). Test the magnums! What’s positive is that this 1956 is contemporary as a daisy, slightly on flowers certainly (gorse?) then on tangerines and pink grapefruits, maracuja, rhubarb, lemon tarte (with meringue), with one thing harking back to a fantastic pinot gris by a fantastic Alsatian wine home. What’s actually putting me at present is that we by no means, ever got here throughout something even remotely rancioty; now I am additionally discovering fairly some gentian spirit on this nostril! Keep in mind, gentian equals utter glory in spirits. Mouth: nice oak, nice previous wine barrique, a sense of dunnage, natural tea (chamomile), then mangos and maracuja once more, rhubarb tarte (extra meringue in the way in which, hurray!) then peaches, mirabelles, nectarines, a bit of cocoa and low, with simply touches of sandal and cedar woods. Thoughts you, sixty-five years sheltered from the fracas of our world! End: it would not even lose steam on the end, even when, as anticipated, this is not fairly its greatest aspect. It is common, in my little tasting ebook, that very previous spirits wouldn’t be their greatest selves at this level. Briefly, it is a bit of dry and tea-ish, nothing irregular. Feedback: third 90 in a row, let’s name this a tasting session.
SGP:561 – 90 factors. |
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