Time for armagnac again, including one that was distilled over 100 years ago. We start with the latest release from The Roots and also include the first armagnac from Malternative Belgium, an old release from Wu Dram Clan, one from L’Encantada and more…
Aurian 36 yo 1988 (42,6%, The Roots 2024, barrique #24, 75 btl.)
Nose: fairly sweet and fruity with plenty of molasses and apricots up front. Then baked apples and stewed pears. Raisins along with sweet anise, herbal sweets, pipe tobacco and hints of nougat. Echoes of Amoroso sherry. Light whiffs of dried rose petals too.
Mouth: oily with big hints of cigar boxes now. Aniseed, herbal liqueur, a few drops of lychee syrup. Sweet mint syrup and drops of old bourbon as well. Candied orange peels, some Turkish delight. Still a sweet Oloroso vibe, good fun. More tobacco leaves and sweetened black tea towards the end.
Finish: medium to long, now slightly more rummy perhaps. Liquorice and marmalade too.
I love this big tobacco theme with hints of sweet Oloroso. The modest ABV and the above-average sweetness make it easy to drink and round off the woody edges nicely. Really good. Still some bottles available from Roots retailers.
Aurian 1979 (49,6%, OB for Wu Dram Clan 2020, 144 btl.)
Nose: this one is much more on polished wood and even some glue, with raspberries, raisins and plums underneath. Then mild potpourri in the distance, along with pine needles and hints of dried herbs.
Mouth: flashes of sour cherries and raisins again, but they are overtaken by a wave of wood spice (ginger, pepper, eucalyptus), leathery notes and plenty of black tea. Echoes of Coca-Cola. More glue and cedar wood towards the end.
Finish: rather long and dark, with exotic wood, light bitter touches and more black tea.
An old bottling from Wu Dram Clan, when armagnac was not yet fully discovered by bottlers. A classic profile, hindered a bit by the slightly harsh woodiness. Score: 86/100
Armagnac Château Pomès de Pébérère 1976 (49,6%, Malternative Belgium 2025, cask #115, 120 btl.)
Mouth: oily with a pleasant sour / balsamic edge. Hints of wood glue and polished furniture. Rather rustic but the sweet-and-sour balance adds elegance. Mid-palate there are hints of plums and pears. Then mild bitterness of clove oil, leathery dryness and some greener / herbal touches from the wood. Some rancio notes too.
Finish: quite long, more drying now, with light minty notes, more leather and herbal tea.
Here as well we have a slightly more rustic and firm style. A little more cognac-like at times, which may not be surprising from this cognac expert. We may have expected more fireworks for their first armagnac release (as if they intended to keep a distance between cognac and the generally rougher armagnac), but kudos for bringing a new producer to our attention. Available from their webshop. Score: 87/100
Armagnac Domaine de Danis 1978 (46%, OB 2022, cask #T6)
Nose: a brighter style, with stewed fruits like peaches and berries, which goes well with some vanilla pastry and honey. Whiffs of orange blossom and polished furniture. Light herbal tea. Quite a round and inviting profile.
Mouth: same feeling, very mild spirit with peaches aplenty, honey sweetness, stewed pears and hints of pastry. Quite some vanilla. Even a hint of Muscat grape. Then light tobacco, latte and some caramelized nuts.
Finish: medium, still rather fruity and round, with a Calvados-like apple sweetness and a mild grassy note.
Quite round and fruity, perhaps less archetypically armagnac but really enjoyable. Still available from Armagnac.de for instance. Score: 88/100
Domaine de l’Auazoue 31 yo 1991 (55,6%, L’Encantada for Armagnac Festival 2025, cask #16, 50cl, 62 btl.)
Mouth: nice fruitiness now, mainly on stewed pears and yellow plums. Juicy mirabelles, pineapple and grapes too. Then jammy notes and honey. A peppery edge, some nougat, as well as some sharper varnish notes and a subtle bitterness.
Finish: quite long, with a rustic mix of fruits and spice, as well as some pear eau-de-vie and green herbs.
Pretty different from all the others in this session, but I like it. The jammy fruits, the higher ABV and the cask influence all have their say. Great to discover this rather unknown estate: it’s my favourite bottling for the Armagnac Festival, I’d say. Still available from Armagnac.de. Score: 89/100
Domaine de Baraillon 1918 (41%, OB 2020)
Nose: total elegance. Lots of peaches, yellow plums, bergamot and apricots coming out, with hints of honey and some wildflowers. Then hints of cinnamon and vanilla, with subtle drops of herbal liqueurs. Later it moves back to mango, with some light leathery notes and very subtle earthy touches in the background.
Mouth: a bit drier now, but there’s a wonderful fruity core which has some tropical elements. Apricots again, some pear syrup and lychee syrup, along with rose petals and faded tobacco notes. Hints of cardamom and honey. Some leathery notes and drops of fruit tea, but a surprising absence of woody astringency. Quite marvellous, despite the obviously delicate character, of course.
Finish: medium, still totally fresh, with fruit tea and just very mild leafy and leathery touch.
I received this sample as an early Christmas gift, and boy, did I enjoy it. It’s a lovely spirit, with no signs of fatigue. Now with the delicate nature and the not so delicate price, I’m not sure it is the one I’d buy. Maybe we should understand it as a celebration of peace after the Great War? Score: 92/100