DuckDrams

For the first time on this blog we venture beyond the comforts of whisky!

As I remember it, I got lured into the French brandy universe by a bottle of Thompson Bros. 27yo “Early Landed Late Bottled” brandy (most likely Cognac) that I gifted my father with great success. Then I started reading more about Cognac and Armagnac as “malternatives”. Coming from the independent bottler scene in whisky, I was quite ready to skip the big brands and go directly for the artisanal an unadulterated expressions.

Armagnac and Cognac are made in the respective regions in south France from grape distillate aged in oak. The main difference between the two, beside of course the terroir and its impact, is the use of different grape varieties (97% Ugni Blanc across Cognac production, compared to 55% in Armagnac, with Baco at 35% and then some smaller varieties), and distillation processes (Cognac using double distillation in postills, similar to whisky, whereas Armagnac uses a small column still). Cognac was historically, and to this day remains, an export product, whereas Armagnac is more for domestic consumption.

With Armagnac, and to a somewhat lesser degree with Cognac, it is possible to get really massive age statements at a realistic price. Say €200 for a single cask 50yo Armagnac, whereas a similarly old malt whisky which would surely be in the order of €5000! Whether the taste experience is on a par I dare not claim, but old brandy certainly has the capability of bringing the complexity, elegance, and integration one associates with great age. Most production is a lot younger though. The age statement system was updated a few years ago: Very Special (VS) for 2+ years in oak, Very Special Old Pale (VSOP) for 4yo+, Extra Old (XO) for 10yo+. Significantly older blends are sometimes called Hors d’âge.

Today I will write the review for the three Armagnac bottles I have, all of which sport quite decent age statements. In getting started with Armagnac I found this blog post really helpful. In particular, I’ve been seeking Armagnac made with 100% Baco grape in the Bas-Armagnac cru, and bought two single-cask expressions from the highest acclaimed blending house Darroze. In addition, I was very generously and thoughtfully gifted a bottle of Chateau de Millet Hors d’âge by colleagues who celebrated me on my 30th birthday in Paris.

I did a follow up tasting of the same line-up with my father, but blindly. He guessed that the last one was oldest, but clearly preferred the second one (50yo).

In the end I think Armagnac is not nearly as versatile as whisky, but in the musty, fruity, nutty, old study room category it easily stands its ground on flavour, both in absolute terms and certainly in relation to price. Armagnac will surely be a constant in my liquor cabinet.