Cles des Ducs XO Armagnac, 70 cl

Product Information

We're also full of less relevant but just as useful facts, just like this one: Dolly the Sheep was born in 1996, too. Gensac 10 Year Old is produced at Château de Gensac, a stunning castle the resides in southwest France.

Cles Des Ducs XO | Virgin Wines Cles Des Ducs XO | Virgin Wines

There’s citrus, apple and marzipan on the nose and plenty of toasted bread with a hint of wood, a touch of allspice and a satisfyingly long finish. Run by the Arnaud and Grassa families since 1912, Domaine Tariquet has a longstanding history of developing the production of Bas-Armagnac AOC and pioneered the production of white and rosé wines from Côtes de Gascogne IGP, during the 1980s. From entry-level liquids to long slow sippers, you’re spoilt for choice when it comes to choosing a great armagnac. A slow, low temperature distillation ensures that a greater proportion of aromatic compounds are retained in the spirit. Then there is the tiny Haut-Armagnac, the high ground, up to about 200 metres above sea level, with mainly chalky soils which produce a rare delicate and fruity spirit.Château de Lacquy produces a range of vintage and varietal specific expressions that are bottled at cask strength. This is a complex, robust layered brandy that offers up nuanced notes of sweet, dried fruit, especially prune, as well as date, fig, tropical fruit and dried herbs, along with creamy butterscotch, orange zest and vanilla. In the 1830s, many believed in the medicinal properties of Armagnac, and Castarède was ready to deliver to the masses. Cognac is vast and global, it exports around 98% of its 180 million bottle production whereas Armagnac produces just 6 million about half of which is consumed in France.

Best armagnacs to replace your favourite cognac | The Independent

Spicy but not fiery, the maturation has mellowed the eaux-de-vie, creating an intensely flavoursome Armagnac. It’s also noticeably hotter on the tongue, though it’s still quite gentle, which helps to focus one’s attention on the bigger, brighter florals in the mix. This unique brandy certainly pleases the nose and palate with its myriad of rich, fruity flavours, spices, wood and vanilla. The Cognac and Armagnac terroirs, both in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region, are located some 300 km from each other; which means differences in the soil. Production is overseen by the Institut national de l'origine et de la qualité (INAO) and the Bureau National Interprofessionel de l'Armagnac (BNIA).The differences in the use of the grape varieties in these two regions come from the fact that Armagnac produces wine intended for consumption without being distilled. The Château’s bottlings offer an excellent opportunity to compare vintage variations as well as the varying aroma and taste profile in Armagnacs produced from different grape varietals. But a maverick spirit and even a touch of rebelliousness seem to run in the Grassa family, who were the first to plant varieties that previously had been virtually unknown in the region such as Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay and Chenin Blanc.

Armagnac’s For Brandy Lovers Everywhere 7 Stunning Armagnac’s For Brandy Lovers Everywhere

Incredibly concentrated, it offers up notes of floral potpourri, baked apple and pear, along with apricot jam, marmalade, and dried fruit notes of fig, date and some mocha. This tasting set from Drinks by the Dram includes five 3cl samples of some truly fantastic Armagnacs. Our team provides a worldwide drinks review service to assist our readers from every country make informed drinks purchasing decisions for events, parties, gifts, or simply enjoying at home. Domaine d’Esperance, 2003 Folle Blanche, Bas-Armagnac, 50% ABV, 750 ml is a vintage, specific cask selection produced entirely from Folle blanche grapes.

Armin said: “Amplitude is a surprising, unusual dry white wine, with beautiful tension and ample on the palate. Produced by the Alain Loubère's estates, the Loubère Napoleon Bas Armagnac boasts heavy notes of almond and spicy fruitcake, with a hint of caramelised banana lingering in the background. Salted caramel, sugared almonds and dark chocolate on the opening with dried prunes and dates mid-palate. The main difference between Armagnac and other spirits is that, due to its relatively low alcoholic content, it is generally not diluted with water.

XO Armagnac Reviews, Ratings And Facts - Best XO Armagnac

Pierre Artaud was born during the reign of Napoleon III in Ercé, a small village in the foothills of the Pyrenees. The silkiness of Laubade’s older marcs is absent here, however, and for what it’s worth, the only impression of bourbon provided is a gritty punchiness on the back end that evokes a touch of woody barrel char — though the high-proof bottling could be doing some of that talking. This special release from Domaine d’Aurensan is made entirely from six rare grape varieties, known by the family as the “phantom grapes”.

Continuing this pioneering tradition, Yves Grassa was the first to produce sweet wines in the region from the seductive Gros Manseng and Petit Manseng grapes, indigenous varieties from the South West of France. Armin and Rémy remain strongly attached to the production of Armagnac which covers about 10% of the family-owned vineyards. In recent years Limousin and Troncais oak casks have been added to the mix of casks as suitable Monlezun oak becomes harder to find. In short, a flavoursome armagnac needn’t break the bank; we’ve focused on the best-value options as well as the best-tasting in our round-up. Marie Duffau and Delord are the brand names used by the Delord family for the Armagnacs they produce.