Last New Armagnac Delivery of 2015

Our last delivery of Armagnac for the year just arrived this week as well—a small drop of two selections from a new producer we met this year called Domaine de Papolle. The domaine was recently purchased by the Piffard family from a British businessman and today is run by the son Frederic. The estate on the property is very Gascogne, with dark wooden interiors, antique country furniture, and paintings with still-life fruit bowls, half glasses of wine, and a spreads of vegetables adorned with dead pheasants. It's quite a romantic domaine with a rustic gothic style. We loved their wonderful brandies, especially the older baco vintages from the late 70s and early 80s, but we also fell for some of the folle blanche expressions. Digging through the warehouse was one of the more exciting parts of this year’s trip. They had vast stocks and a number of delicious expressions. The Papolle Armagnacs are big, rich, powerful brandies. These are not delicate spirits, but they have balance which is what makes them unique. Here are the two we went with: 

1987 Domaine de Papolle 28 Year Old K&L Exclusive Folle Blanche Armagnac $79.99 - The 1987 expression is a 28 year old folle blanche distillate that really packs the spice and the aromatics one expects from the varietal. The wood is also intensely integrated, adding serious richness to all that punch. It's a brandy that's equal parts weight and finesse. A fantastic deal as well for the price.

1973 Domaine de Papolle 42 Year Old K&L Exclusive Armagnac $139.99 - This 42 year old baco distillate is almost coffee black in color and is as brooding and dark as the inside of the Papolle manor. It's intensely rich, leathery in character, and unpolished as a rustic country brandy should be. Toffee, mocha, and dense caramel linger long on the finish. Considering the more than four decades spent in wood, the price is almost absurd.

-David Driscoll