A bag of various things

3 IBs just before the weekend

grape-based things as a weekend opener

Another small side-by-side tasting, this time bringing together three very different spirits: two Bas-Armagnacs and one Grande Champagne Cognac. Different origins, grape varieties, ageing philosophies and bottling approaches, but a shared focus on long maturation and minimal intervention. From cask strength Armagnac to a carefully reduced old Grande Champagne, this line-up offers a good opportunity to observe how time, terroir and choices made at bottling shape the final profile.

Swell de Spirits Wonders Series #5 Baraillon Folle Blanche 2005 49,9%

This Bas-Armagnac comes from Domaine de Baraillon, distilled in 2005 from Folle Blanche grapes. Bottled by Swell de Spirits as part of the “Wonders” series, it was released at cask strength (49.9%), without reduction or additives.

Colour: Mahogany, orange lights. Irregular heavy tears.

Nose: Immediate heavy tannins. Bold roasted notes merging into leathery aromas. A strong, assertive profile, very much in line with what I associate with Baraillon’s DNA. Slight musky touches in the background, with faint camphory accents adding to the rustic impression.

Palate: Ample texture. Raisins come first, followed by round and indulgent chocolate notes. Warm spices appear next, paprika and ras-el-hanout, but the palate remains dominated by chocolate and various nutty tones.

Last notes: With air, heady potpourri notes emerge. Rustic oak, damp cellar impressions, rotten walnut and linseed oil. Shy tinned plum in the background. Back on the palate, dark chocolate returns with sharp spices, mainly on nutmeg and black pepper. Firm and uncompromising until the end.

As expected, a bold and structured Armagnac. Not really my kind of profile: I miss balance and finesse here.

84/100

ZN09 Chateau de Gaube 1966 45,8%

This bottling comes from Château de Gaube, a historic Bas-Armagnac estate (that you find in Darroze range, for example), and was selected by ZN09 Spirits in Grosperrin’s cellars. Distilled in 1966 and aged for 56 years, this Armagnac spent most of its life in cask before being bottled at 45.8%, without additives.

Colour: Dark amber, gold lights. Irregular heavy tears.

Nose: Opens on exotic fruits. Heady leathery notes and a strong nutty rancio. Candied citrus follows, with lingering chocolate aromas in the background. There’s also a hint of freshness hiding underneath, suggesting potential acidulous notes.

Palate: Extra-oily texture. Caramel sweets and toffee dominate the attack, followed by orange zest jam. The tannin structure is present and solid, though I would have liked it to be a bit more integrated. The finish brings coconut and nutmeg powder.

Last notes: With air, the profile becomes more floral, mainly on violet and orange blossom. Slight fragility appears. Coconut powder, precious woods and plum cake. Back on the palate, tinned prunes and leather re-emerge, ending on black pepper.

A pleasant old Bas-Armagnac with character, but I was expecting something a little more precise and better integrated overall.

87+/100

Marancheville l'Essentiel A45 42,8%

This Cognac is the result of a collaboration between Marancheville and Cognac-Expert, bottled for the L’Essentiel range. It’s a Grande Champagne from Juillac and Marancheville aged in small casks (60 liters) for 45 years (A45, so 45yo I suppose).

Colour: Amber, gold lights. Medium irregular tears.

Nose: Fresh citrus notes blended with gentle waxy aromas. Apricot jam and the lively fruitiness of a relatively young Grande Champagne. Vanilla touches appear, along with chalky undertones. Slight malted notes, reminiscent of some young GC profiles (thinking of a few JLP bottlings).

Palate: Lightly oily texture with a pronounced acidic backbone. Crisp Sauvignon Blanc-like aromas, apple bitterness and a touch of verjus freshness. Nutty notes develop, cardamom and pistachio, before finishing on mentholated accents.

Last notes: Rounder with air. Tinned pear and more opulent vanilla notes. Fresh spices, anise and white pepper. Tannins become more noticeable now. Sharp aftertaste on peppermint and yuzu.

An unusual balance for a 40yo+ Grande Champagne: fresh and energetic, yet clearly marked by small-cask ageing. The wood influence is evident, though not entirely dominating. A bit like an adolescent placed in a retirement home. I miss some kind of aesthetic sense here.