The Brandy Revolution Begins
When they write the history of K&L, today is the day they will say the revolution began. Jeez, that sounds pretty dramatic, maybe I've been watching too much Game of Thrones. In any case, today is going to be an important day for the spirits department at K&L because our first batch of directly-imported French spirits lands this afternoon. This project began last winter when both David OG and I got fed up with the Armagnac/Cognac selections from distributors in the United States. Their job is to bring back interesting selections to us retailers and they weren't doing it. The old saying that "if you want something done right, you have to do it yourself" came into effect, so David and I packed our suitcases and went to France. Four months later, the fruits of our labor are beginning to trickle in.
Everything we picked out on this voyage was killer - there were no mundane or mediocre selections. The brandies were exciting, flavorful, expressive, and interesting in a way that nothing here stateside is. Importers tend to be safe and conservative, wanting to market their goods to a broad palate. We wanted to be brash and bold because no one likes boring booze. The small producers with great products were there for the taking, it's just that no one was doing it. That being said, David and I spent days driving all over France with our friend Charles Neal and we think we've found enough stuff to turn our French spirits selection into the best in the United States - bar none, without a doubt. We won't have the most brandy, but we'll have the most interesting selection, with value at the forefront. Therefore, if you're looking for brown French sugar water, we're probably no longer your best bet. If you're on the hunt for magestic and profound expressions of excellence, take a look at the first batch of options below:
Blondeau from Domaine de Lassaubatju telling us about the 88 and 89 vintages1988 Domaine de Lassaubatju K&L Exclusive Vintage Armagnac $84.99 - On our third day in Armagnac, David and I met a small producer named Blondeau who seemed to have a never-ending supply of amazing booze. His Domaine de Lassaubatju brandies were just what we were looking for - amazingly distinct Armagnac with plenty of cross-over appeal! While the spirits are still firmly grounded in the classic fruit and almond flavor profile, there's a distinct aroma of pencil shavings that comes from his custom-coopered barrels made with wood from a nearby forest. The result is the closest thing we'll see to a Bourbon lover's Armagnac. The 1988 shows dried apricot aromas with rich vanilla, a round mouthfeel, and an absolutely delicious nutty finish. The balance is impeccible. Imported directly for K&L, Lassaubatju represents what is now one of our best values for any type of spirit. I don't know where else you could find a 20+ year old, full proof spirit with this type of provenance that tastes this good.
1989 Domaine de Lassaubatju K&L Exclusive Vintage Armagnac $79.99 - On our third day in Armagnac, David and I met a small producer named Blondeau who seemed to have a never-ending supply of amazing booze. His Domaine de Lassaubatju brandies were just what we were looking for - amazingly distinct Armagnac with plenty of cross-over appeal! While the spirits are still firmly grounded in the classic fruit and almond flavor profile, there's a distinct aroma of pencil shavings that comes from his custom-coopered barrels made with wood from a nearby forest. The result is the closest thing we'll see to a Bourbon lover's Armagnac. The 1989 is very whisky-like with superb richness and a concentrated blast of toasted almond skin on the finish. Lean and streamlined, the palate gives way to baking spices and classic, woody Bourbon-like notes. Imported directly for K&L, Lassaubatju represents what is now one of our best values for any type of spirit. I don't know where else you could find a 20+ year old, full proof spirit with this type of provenance that tastes this good.
The humble Baraillon father/daughter duo in their warehouse1985 Baraillon K&L Exclusive Vintage Armagnac $115.99 - If there were ever a romantic ideal for French countryside distillation, the Baraillons are it. Out in the middle of nowhere, there's nothing glossed over or touristic about their operation - they are farmers, pure and simple. David and I absolutely fell in love with this father/daughter team even though they hardly said a word to us the entire time we tasted (they let their booze speak for itself). This single barrel 1985 brandy is one of the finest spirits we tasted on the entire trip. A mix of Ugni Blanc and Baco, the nose is absolutely hypnotizing - port-like with stewed fruits and sandlewood (think Glenrothes 85 or high-end Glenmorangie, but remember it's definitely NOT single malt). The palate follows up with toffee, vanilla, more fruit and stunning richness - with spice and heat on the finish that prevent the weight from becoming overly flabby. It is spellbinding brandy. Destined to go down as one of the best Armagnacs we've ever carried, we look forward to importing Baraillon exclusively for the foreseeable future. Baraillon Armagnac is where bucolic romanticism and quality collide.
1900 Baraillon K&L Exclusive Vintage Armagnac $1499.99 - If there were ever a romantic ideal for French countryside distillation, the Baraillons are it. Out in the middle of nowhere, there's nothing glossed over or touristic about their operation - they are farmers, pure and simple. David and I absolutely fell in love with this father/daughter team even though they hardly said a word to us the entire time we tasted (they let their booze speak for itself). At first, the idea of importing an Armagnac made 112 years ago seemed like a joke, a fun idea if it could actually be done. When Mr. Baraillon allowed us to actually taste it our jaws hit the cement floor in the warehouse. If you had to spend some serious cash on an ultra-splurge bottle, this is the one. Incredibly rich, with layers of toffee, fruit compote, port-like viscosity, and waves of earthy accents, the 1900 Baraillon is actually worth the high price simply because it's historic. It's ridiculously rare and represents the hard work of the Baraillon family, decades before the current family members were even born! It was taken out of barrel at some point in the mid-1950s and has been resting in a glass demijohn ever since. We purchased six bottles for six lucky customers. This isn't about luxury or bling-bling brand imagery. This is some serious brandy for those looking to revel in it.
Tasting at Ragnaud with Mrs. Ragnaud-BricqRaymond Ragnaud K&L Exclusive Reserve Rare Cognac $115.99 - This Grand Champagne Cognac from Ragnaud represents our dedicated efforts to find excellent Cognac without the use of an additional sweetners or traditional boise. Distiller Jean-Marie has spent the last thirty years perfecting his pot-still brandies into delicate expressions of the fantastic terroir in the area. He is a firm believer in the idea that the limestone-rich soils of Grande Champagne produce wines which, when distilled, create brandies capable of aging in barrel for eternity. While we originally came in search of single barrel Cognac, we tasted a few out of the cask and soon realized that Grand Champagne Cognac doesn't taste all that great in its youth - and by "youth," I mean anytime in the first twenty years of its life - nor does it taste too great out of the barrel. Usually the blends have more complexity because the expressive "young" brandy is balanced with the richness from older vintages. The Reserve Rare was our favorite of the expressions, exhibiting beautiful concentration and the elegance we've come to expect from world-class Cognac producers. Gentle richness on the entry leads into flavors of toasted nuts, stonefruit, and vanilla, before finishing with a soft dash of baking spices. A masterful Cognac that managed to seduce us with subtlety and style, rather than with sweetness and weight.
Remember, this is only the first wave! There are more selections due in every week until the end of May. The great part about these selections is that they're not all single barrel, limited quantity, so we will be able to re-order once the first batch sells out. I have a feeling that we were too conservative with the 1985 Baraillon, so you might want to snatch that one while it's here. The big K&L email goes out April 23rd, so you blog readers have the head start to pick first.
I'm so excited for these I could simply burst! Send any questions are way and we will happily supply you with the extra information you need.
-David Driscoll