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Hi, this is one of our (almost) daily tastings. Santé! |
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December 7, 2014 |
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Malternatives on Sunday,
hourrah pour l'Armagnac ! |
"What makes me laugh is that with their publicity, we'll never manage to make enough Armagnac for everybody". French ad, 1974
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Armagnac seems to have become fashionable again these days. The good people down there in Gezrs anbd else are claiming that Armagnac is one of, if not the oldest spirit in the world as a certain Armand de Villeneuve is said to have created it in the 13th century, while written records rather mention 1411 or 1414. What’s sure is that Armagnacs can be fab! |
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Dupeyron 1992/2012 (40%, OB, Vieille Fine Armagnac, blend)  Ryst-Dupeyron is an old House in Condom, they do also import and distribute Scotch whisky since many years under their own brand, Captain Burn’s. Colour: dark amber. Nose: starts light but pretty aromatic, with a lot of chocolate and prunes, then we’re rather having raisins and baked apples, with a touch of cinnamon and mint. Lastly, a little black tea, or rather earl grey. A light, easy nose, but there’s some complexity. Mouth: starts rather grapy, with a feeling of stalk and green tea, then it’s rather blackcurrant buds and leaves (tea). More liquorice and cinnamon after a few seconds, blackberry pie, dry raisins… The liquorice tends to dominate. Finish: good length. Liquorice and raisins plus a little pepper. Comments: I like this rather dry style. The 40% vol. work well. SGP:550 - around 79 points. |
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Clos Martin 1988 ‘Folle Blanche’ (40%, OB, Bas-Armagnac, +/-2013)  Folle blanche is the traditional grape in Armagnac, as it used to be in Cognac before the phylloxera. Colour: amber. Nose: rather bigger, this one, rounder, with more raisins and oranges, as well as a small feeling of peach cake spread with eaux-de-vie. Grand-Marnier? Mouth: we’re closer to the Dupeyron, with this grapy, slightly gritty and biting style. Stalk again, apple peeling, tea, a small touch of rubber, perhaps. Feels ‘artisan’, which isn’t surprising as I’ve just read that Clos Martin are using very small stills. Finish: rather long, with more oranges again. A touch of liquorice in the aftertaste. Comments: to my liking, this baby’s got oomph and character, and isn’t one of these Armagnacs that are hinting at cognac. SGP:651 - around 81 points. |
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Dupeyron 1987/2012 (40%, OB, Vieille Fine Armagnac, blend)  Colour: dark amber. Nose: oh lovely! A well-rounded armagnac, full of prunes, raisins, chocolate and coffee at first nosing, before a second layer of mint, aniseed and liquorice bring more complexity and freshness. Dill. Also blackcurrant jelly. Mouth: very classic full-bodied yet rounded, yet not too rounded, yet relatively smooth arrival. As much liquorice as in the 1992 by the same house, then some coffee, butterscotch, natural vanilla (pods) and some kind of cherry and cinnamon cake. All this works very well in my opinion. Finish: rather long, firm, on coffee, liquorice and prunes. Excellent. Comments: very malternative. It’s to be wondered if the single malts they import to France don’t inspire the good people at Ryst-Dupeyron. SGP:650 - around 85 points. |
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Dupeyron 1983/2012 (40%, OB, Vieille Fine Armagnac, blend) More from the same house in Condom. Colour: dark amber. Nose: this one’s very different, I find whiffs of truffle, that is to say a wee sulphur-like note, then more cigars and cedar wood. The older age feels, but that adds complexity and… a bit of wackiness. Then liquorice again, a few pine needles and one or two mushrooms. Plus, of course, raisins and prunes. Mouth: classic again, fruity, rounded, ‘nervous’, appropriately a little hot and spirity, and yet rounded and kind of smooth. Raisins and sauternes, prunes, a little chlorophyll and then more liquorice and cinnamon again. Goody good. Finish: good length. Stewed fruits and liquorice plus wood spices and raisins. Perfectly balanced. Comments: hello Macallan! Too bad this baby was bottled at only 40%. SGP:651 - 86 points. |
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Dupeyron 1982/2012 (40%, OB, Vieille Fine Armagnac, blend)  Another Dupeyron, no complains. Colour: dark amber but slightly lighter than the 1983. Nose: it’s a grassier, slightly rawer one again, with some green tea, cedar wood, apples, cinnamon, then more mint and liquorice. Oak oils, a little pine sap, cocoa powder, more grass… So this one’s a little grassier, but it’s as aromatic as the other Dupeyrons. Mouth: blimey, this is excellent once again. Stewed fruits, liquorice and herbal teas. Hawthorn, honeysuckle, rosehip and all that. Then ripe black cherries, raisins, prunes, caramel, orange liqueur and a touch of mint. Wonderful. Finish: rather long given the strength, with oranges, liquorice and toffee. And raisins. Comments: we’re approaching perfection. A very perfect malternative, but please, 43% vol.! SGP:651 - around 88 points. |
No more Dupeyron (sadly), let’s change houses… |
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Domaine de Lasgraves 1981 (46%, OB, Bas Armagnac, +/-2013) This is single domain armagnac, and I believe it’s made out of bacco instead of folle blanche. Even the oak comes from the domaine. Colour: dark amber. Nose: this one’s very chocolaty at first nosing, and then all on dried fruits, Christmas cake and liquorice. Nosing a new pack of liquorice allsorts. After a few seconds some earth, humus, moss and pine needles rises to your nostrils, but the whole remains slightly thin after Dupeyron’s blends. Mouth: the oak’s a little too obvious in the arrival (heavy black tea) but all the rest is pretty perfect. Raisins and liquorice, marmalade, roasted pecans and then something a tad cognacqy. Peach liqueur. Finish: long, very nutty and even a little malty. Earthy aftertaste, with some cinnamon and walnuts. Comments: excellent once again despite the slightly excessive oak. And the 46% vol. are perfect. SGP:561 - around 87 points. |
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Château de Lassalle 1979/2011 (46%, OB, Bas Armagnac, +/-2012) Another armagnac de propriétaire, owned by the baronne de Pampelonne in the Gers region. The grape is ugni blanc this time. Colour: dark red amber. Nose: quite superb, this is akin to a great old sherried malt from Speyside. An almost perfect combination of liquorice, dried figs, chocolate, toffee and prunes, with this earthy and mentholated touch that goes so well with armagnac. Sadly, it tends to become drier and a notch too grassy. Mouth: very gritty and raw, this could be calvados! Peelings and various herbs, mint, liquorice wood, cider apples, green tea… Very, very ‘artisan’. Finish: long, much more peppery than the others. Rather drying oak. Comments: great nose, great attack on the palate, sadly the oak tends to make it a little too dry and green for my taste. Very ‘calvados’ indeed. SGP:461 - around 82 points. |
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Baron de Sigognac 1978 (40%, OB, Bas Armagnac, +/-2010) An armagnac by La Maison de l’Armagnac, distilled from bacco and ugni blanc. Colour: deep amber. Nose: a bit simpler than Château Lassalle, a little weaker as well (the lower strength, I guess), with more grass and grapes. I wouldn’t say there’s a lot happening here. A handful of golden raisins. Mouth: quite good but a little light again. Peach juice, caramel, the usual liquorice, the expected raisins, the anticipated prunes and maybe a little banana, which gives it hints of light rum. Finish: rather short, light, with some caramel and a little oak. And tea. Comments: fair, loyal and good, juts a little too light for me. SGP:440 - around 78 points. |
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Château de Laubade 1975 (40%, OB, Bas Armagnac, +/-2005)  Laubade is one of the largest houses in France, often to be found in good restaurants. I’ll always remember the 1900 that we tried back in 2009 (WF 90). Colour: dark amber. Nose: unusual and strange, that is to say ridden with pinesap and turpentine. That’s so big that you just won’t manage to detect anything else. Could be a corked bottle, let’s check the palate… Mouth: it’s not totally unpleasant, but our dear Alsatian fir liqueur has got less piny notes than this armagnac. Or retsina? Finish: long, bitter, green, mushroomy, extremely resinous and bitter. Comments: something may have gone wrong here, please take our score with a drop of pine liqueur. I mean, a pinch of salt. Most probably an accident. SGP:190 - around 5 points. |
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Baron de Lustrac 1970 (40%, OB, Bas Armagnac, +/-2010)  Baron de Lustrac are éleveurs, which means that they’re more or less working like… say Gordon & MacPhail. Colour: deep gold. Nose: rather weak, flat, whispering, slightly dusty. Almost no nose I’m afraid. Strange whiffs of beer. Mouth: better! Not big but I enjoy this light fruitiness. Apple juice, something slightly metallic, ripe peaches and gooseberries, mint drops, liquorice, overripe apples… Becomes a little disjointed, sadly. Finish: rather short. Tea and apple juice. Comments: maybe not one of the best, it’s a rather weak spirit, but some parts were pleasant, such as the arrival on the palate. SGP:330 - around 70 points. |
This session is going a little awry, isn’t it. One solution, trying to find a last Dupeyron! |
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J. Dupeyron 1970 ‘Private Collection’ (40%, OB, Armagnac, blend, +/-2013) This is very small batch armagnac. Colour: amber. Nose: it’s very light, subtle and complex armagnac, rather akin to a great old cognac. I find wee hints of pinesap (nothing like the Laubade though), then liquorice, williams pears, a drop of ale (IPA) and a little light green tea. Loses steam, sadly. The younger vintages were much fuller in my opinion. Mouth: certainly more fulfilling, but once again it tends to become a little light, beyond the lovely notes of liquorice and coffee. Apple pie, apricots, a little walnut, then more and more over-infused tea, which means that the oak is taking over. Finish: medium length. Black tea and liquorice. Menthol, cedar wood and raisins in the aftertaste. Bitter chocolate. Comments: very fine old armagnac but I think it’s rather ‘too old’, the oak became drying. SGP:451 - around 80 points. |
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