Gifts from Gascogne

I’ve spent the better part of the last decade completely enamored with the great brandies of France, but one region has captured my heart like no other, Gascogne. There’s something different about Gascogne and the wonderful people there. I travel at least once a year to the region, typically with the great Charles Neal, to hunt through the countless domaines and chais that are commercializing this special brandy, but it was for the generosity and goodwill we’ve garnered from some of best customers that we were introduced to the wonderful team at L’Encantada. In conjunction with them, we imported the first cask of L’Encantada to the states and set in motion their meteoric rise in the eyes of many veteran drinkers in the US. Over the years we’ve watched as this small group of locals, childhood friends, who had a genuine love of Armagnac, took their hobby to the next level. Now customers from around the globe are reaching out to the little company in Vic-Fezensac to get access to their coveted stock.

Their first purchase as a group was a stock of casks located in the tiny village of Mauleon d’Armagnac. The stock of about ten years worth of production from a small estate was purchased with no real plan to sell it. The gang figured they loved the juice so much, that if no one wanted to buy it, they’d just drink it. And for the first few years there wasn’t that much movement on these. In France, this style of Armagnac, big bold high proof and oaky, is not really en vogue. Were it not for the eclectic tastes of the Whisky lovers at Maison du Whisky in Paris, they stocks might have been completely consumed by the team. But the intelligent palates at MDW understood what the L’Encantada had found and from their it was only a few clicks before the rest of the world could have access to it.

Now, the casks that were once unsalable are now completely allocated. The world has caught up to the incredible taste of this small band of Gascogne natives - in particular it is the American Whisky lovers that have jumped on the Brandy Train over the last few years. That’s because great old brandy offers something that bourbon and rye gave these guys 20 years ago - an unprecedented drinking experience for an affordable price. We continue to see countless opportunities every time we travel back to the region, but there’s more and more interest in this special little corner of France. Just yesterday it was announced that Raj Bakhta (Founder of Whistle Pig) purchased the old Maison Ryst Dupeyron in Condom. If he’s seeing the value in the region, the big guys aren’t far behind. For now, we’re still one of a handful of stores that has the know how and ability to buy full casks of Armagnac. Here are three of the best we’ve ever found with my tasting notes:

1995 L'Encantada 24 Year Old "Lous Pibous #146" Bas-Armagnac (750ml)

The massive interest in this incredible brand and its flagship property has meant that what once seemed like an endless abundance of casks is already dwindling to a trickle. Where we might have once had the opportunity to walk through the magical warehouse at Couzard-Lasselle and select nearly any barrel, now we are offered a few samples to choose from. But I'm so grateful that we're included in the tiny fraction of the world's population that's able to acquire this unprecedented elixir. There have been few booze finds that have ever compared to the uncovering of this estate and so experiencing a new cask for the first time is always exhilarating. This cask is an absolute monster. Clocking in at 112.8 proof, the nose is so power and rich it's almost scary. On the palate this juice absolutely SCREAMS! It's loud and wild, filled with dense, dark wood tannin and tingly spice, and a rich, unctuous texture. The intensity is on a different level even compared to many of the other casks we've selected, but this underlying sweetness holds it all together. For the first time with one of these insane casks I find that the tiniest drop of good spring water improves the total package, but for those that love George T Stagg or other old ultra high proof spirits, you might not need to turn this one down at all. Neat the nose barrels out of the glass with deep dark aromas of coffee, leather, sandalwood, gentian root, licorice bark, stewed plums, chocolate covered raisins, cedar, hemlock, Demerara syrup and sarsaparilla. The first taste is arresting powerful and edge-y, but as it draws through the palate a gorgeous sweetness appears. Powerful spice, sweet fresh tobacco leaf, dates, dark chocolate, old wooden furniture, dark red fruits preserved (lingonberry?), bitter herbs. Profound, powerful, and long. With a tiny splash of water, all the hard edges go away, it looses the oomph but gains an almost whimsical ease. Be careful—this stuff is still 110 proof and it goes down like sweet tea. Hopefully there are more barrels like this one left in that gorgeous chai.

1988 L'Encantada 30 Year Old "Domaine Le Frêche #17" Bas-Armagnac (750ml)

The awesome barrels coming out of Le Freche remind me so much of being in Armagnac it's scary. One whiff and we're transported straight to the dark cold chai covered in black mold and cobwebs. In lots of ways this product is quintessential Baco for me. This often maligned grape is capable of making serious brandy, but it can highlight some of the rustic qualities that Armagnac is known for. I personally drink Armagnac because I love those intense flavors that just simply don't exist in any other brandy. Luckily the French just don't seem to be drinking this stuff or we'd have no Armagnac to sell you, since overall production is minuscule and the French seem to prefer the softer more modern style. This is not that. The nose is freshly tanned hide, orris root, the darkest cocoa, grilled stone fruit, freshly turned soil, lacquer, fancy wood and black currents. As it opens the leather and the sweet cooked fruit take center stage. The palate is extremely forgiving after tasting the Lous Pibous, but it stands firm in its own right. Fancy freshly dried raisins and cranberries, fresh grated nutmeg, clove, Mexican hot chocolate, earthy rustic wood - very forgiving and open despite the high proof. Dark and brooding, but supple and round. It's so balanced and yet so intense. With a little water, an explosion of red fruits. Pure currants and cinnamon. I can't figure out how they do it. I do think I know who made this, but I won't blow up Encantada's spot publicly. Here I wouldn't add water, but some of my colleagues much preferred it with a drop. I think this is the best Le Freche I've had yet.

1976 L'Encantada 42 Year Old "Domaine Le Sablé #19" Bas-Armagnac (750ml)

These old Sables have a very different character than the other two domaines we have in stock right now. Sable only produced a few barrels of brandy in its tenure, but the quality was excellent thanks to the excellent distillery that helped L'Encantada find these stocks. Here instead of new barrels and dry cellars, which tend to extract more tannin and keep alcohol levels high, this brandy spent four decades in an old barrel in a very humid cellar. The result is a totally different style and maybe much closer what many are used to, but still about as unique as anything coming out of the region. The nose is a complex bouquet of flambéed citrus peel, sweet spices, exotic herbs, fresh yellow plums, quince compote, and sugar candies. We worry about bitterness taking over at this age, or wateriness at the lower proof, but neither pitfall exists. Instead, the palate is absolutely filled with an almost clean rancio fruit, hints of old leather and spice, and an unusual freshness despite the age. The whole thing is really lifted and inviting, not stodgy or esoteric. Probably the easiest of the three casks to love and the right choice for an Armagnac beginner, but with enough texture and depth the hold even the most grizzled lover of Gascogne's greatest at attention.

L'Encantada "Le Frêche, Le Sablé, Del Cassou, Lassalle & 20 Year Old Discovery Box Set (5x200ml)

If you have absolutely no idea which one to try there’s always the wonderful Discovery Box, 1L of excellent Armagnac in 5x200ml bottles. This is a great way to taste through the portfolio without committing to one particular domaine. Probably the best gift of the year for any spirits diehard. I would be SO happy if someone bought me one of these. Wink wink…

The single estate included are 1976 Domaine Le Sable, 1990 Domaine Le Freche, 1988 Domaine Del Cassou, 1993 Domaine Lassalle (LP) plus the 20 year minimum blend. All bottled at full strength and without coloring or correction of any kind.