December 13, 2015

On Sunday, Armagnac is back

That’s lousy Serge, very lousy. Anyway, time for more armagnac, perhaps the other spirit that’s slowly becoming the most ‘malternative’ of them all. Let’s see what we can find in our little – but growing – stash…

Château Garreau 'Hors d'Age' (40%, OB, Bas-Armagnac, +/-2014)

This baby’s more than ten years old. Château Garreau is a relatively large estate that, apparently, used to belong to a Russian prince. We’ve already had a few older ones a few weeks ago. Colour: deep gold. Nose: it’s a rather citrusy young armagnac, with a rather lovely combination of fresh orange juice, golden raisins, and blond tobacco. Goes on with a bit of caramel and toasted pastry, as well as a welcome touch of grass to add balance. Like this fruity freshness! Not quite one of these prune-y armagnacs, I’d say. Mouth: good and easy, rather sweet, perhaps a notch sugary to tell you the truth (feeling of late harvest wine), with some coffee liqueur and a little triple-sec. Less fresh and ‘nervous’ than the nose was, but it’s still ‘good’. Not too flabby despite the low strength. Finish: medium, with a little more toasted oak and toffee. Comments: a fine, very easy armagnac. The nose was a little too promising, as often. SGP:640 - 75 points.

Perhaps a vintage version?...

Château Garreau 2000 (40%, OB, Bas-Armagnac, +/-2010)

Colour: amber. Nose: once again, a pleasant fruitiness, rather with peaches this time, figs, raisins… It’s very soft, quite complex, and pretty fresh. Enjoy the hints of lilies and spearmint in the background. Perhaps ‘ideas’ of Greek retsina? Mouth: really too bad that this was bottled at 40% vol. There’s ‘stuff’ happening, around peaches again and overripe apples, plus the usual sultanas, but it’s all a little weak. Quite some vanilla, a faint grapiness, some apple peeling, some fudge. Finish: short to medium, grapy. A touch of bitter caramel in the aftertaste. Comments: a missed opportunity to come up with a pretty good malternative. The spirit behind is of rather high quality. SGP:650 - 77 points.

Darroze 12 yo ‘Les Grands Assemblages’ (43%, OB, Bas-armagnac, +/-2015)

I’ll remember the 50 yo in this series forever! Colour: gold. Nose: much brighter and deeper at the same time, with a pretty perfect fruitiness (melons, peaches) and just the right amount of soft spices and herbs. Cinnamon and caraway, plus liquorice and lemongrass. Love these fresh noses that are neither too prune-y, nor too raisiny. Mouth: what a difference 3% vol. make! This is a pear cake covered with liquid caramel, roasted raisins, and ground cashews. And melon coulis. Notes of guavas, perhaps. The backrgound’s a little grittier, a little leafy, but let’s remember this is armagnac, not cognac. Finish: medium, just a notch drying. Quite some cinnamon. Comments: we’re already in the ‘great’ category, given this baby’s age. SGP:551 - 82 points.

Baron de Sigognac 'VSOP' ( 40%, OB, Bas-armagnac, +/-2013)

This is well-reputed single estate armagnac. Love their little legend, as told by their website: “One day long ago, Baron de Sigognac took all the traditional clocks out of his cellars. Fascinated by the mystery surrounding the way Armagnac ages, he had some very strange timepieces made. On these clocks, the face had ten divisions instead of twelve. The seconds had become years, the big hand moved only once a decade and the hour hand marked the centuries. Then, with time, Baron de Sigognac came to trust only his palate in telling the age of an Armagnac. The clocks were left unwound.” Lovely indeed! Colour: gold. Nose: it’s the most toasted and roasted of them all, with more café latte, brioche, some soft ginger than suggests new oak, and then vanilla and white pepper. We came very close to malt whisky this time. Mouth: indeed, although this is more fragrant, with flowers and some kind of sweet curry, then the expected vanilla, raisins, coffee-flavoured fudge, and simply toast. But once again, the low strength is a handicap, I’m sure this baby had so much to tell us… Finish: rather short, but quite perfect. Oranges, vanilla, flower jelly. Roses? Perhaps litchis as well. Comments: same high quality as the Darroze. Can we have the same at 50% vol.? I like it better than an older vintage that I tried a few years ago. SGP:550 - 82 points.

50% vol.? Just ask…

Louis Roque 'XO' (50%, OB, Armagnac, +/-2014)

The house Louis Roque in Souillac are well-known for their vieilles prunes, and I’m not sure they make this armagnac themselves. Maybe, maybe not. But the strength is right! Colour: gold. Nose: well, it’s certainly rougher than the others, but it doesn’t seem to have their depth and their complexity. Nice overripe apples and grapes, though. A touch of honey. With water: more honey, which is nicer. Gets softer. Mouth (neat): nah, it’s rough spirit, the kind they pour you from a jug when you’re down their in Armagnac’s region. Almost. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not unpleasant at all, it’s just very rustic. Overripe apples, artisan eau-de-vie, raisins, prunes. The strength is right, though. With water: good young, rather fresh, fruity and grassy armagnac. Nothing to complain about. Finish: medium, fruity, honeyed. Apples and raisins and honey. Comments: maybe not stellar but honest and loyal like a mousquetaire. SGP:640 - 76 points.