And then they were blind

Finally back!

Well, it’s been a long time! The new season begins, and it seems like a good time to dig back into a few tasting notes that have been sitting in my notebooks for a little too long.

These nine spirits all share one particularity: they were tasted blind during the French Spirits Blind Tasting Championship (3rd edition), which Luc Crosnier and I co-organise. Three different challenges, 20 competitors and more than 35 spirits to identify blind, from the type of spirit and its origin to ABV, age, producer and exact reference. The 2026 champion is Alric Perrin (Swell de Spirits), something of a Lamine Yamal of the spirits world, who claimed the title at the tender age of 24.

So, before moving on to the new tastings and encounters that await this autumn, here are nine of those spirits that were served blind during the competition.

Darroze Domaine de Martin 2003 53%

Domaine du Martin is located in Hontanx (Bas-Armagnac) and is a relatively small producer (3.5 hectares). Sandy soils, Baco grapes and a lava hot vintage (2003). Let’s go!

Colour: Amber, gold lights. Irregular heavy tears.

Nose: Heady citrus notes at first, mainly on tangerine peel. Perceptible sweetness on caramel sweets. Hints of chalky notes in the background, which I usually find in Ténarèze terroirs. Spicy oak notes, though they remain reasonable on my sensitive Armagnac scale, with pleasant cumin scents.

Palate: A bit oily, with a bittersweet aftertaste. Full of liquorice and hazelnut cream aromas at first. You find again the sweetness previously perceived on the nose. Quite precise, with a good balance of tannins. It ends on dry walnut and coconut powder.

Last Notes: Yep, definitely more Ténarèze-like with air. Hints of malt now. Acacia honey. Lovely floral notes on peach blossom and rosewater. It tends to become spicier on the palate, with a great dash of black pepper and zan. It ends on badian and star anise.

Very decent 20yo Bas-Armagnac. I really enjoy this kind of wood integration at this age: a great balance between oak influence and distillate character. And this light style, with its chalky and floral hints, reminds me a bit of Cognac… Coincidence? It could have been a banger with a bit more depth and length.

87/100

GRAPE OF THE ART LRV 2001 51,8%

Haut-Armagnac. Or the unicorn of Gascony And one of the very few producers (a dozen in total, if I’m not mistaken): LaRoche-Vacquié. So it’s quite cool to find this kind of gem in an IB’s range. Colombard and Ugni Blanc Grapes, 23yo, 51.8%. Let’s go!

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

Nose: Ample fruitiness on mirabelle plums and plums. Hints of menthol notes. Stunning exotic aromas of roasted pineapple. Strong Barbados rum accents. Lovely freshness again on fennel and eucalyptus. A bit heady at first, but hey, let it breathe for a while.

Palate: Very oily texture. Extreme acidulous notes of passion fruit and blackcurrant juice. Slightly smoky, with hints of burnt wood. Very rich aromas carried by its texture: peanut butter, cooked tarragon and gingerbread. A complex and subtle palate, with a perceptible evolution.

Last Notes: Marzipan and almond paste with air. Melted plastic, resinous notes. A bit like the wisest version of a TDL rum, with some rooty notes too. Lovely bitterness back on the palate, immediately followed by the acidulous blade previously perceived, this time leaning more towards cola sweets. Perfect alignment between nose and palate if you give it a few extra minutes in the glass.

I quite agree with Serge here. Tasted blind, I’m not sure I would go for a rye whisky, but why not a 35yo Bons Bois, or perhaps a smooth and bizarre kind of TDL. Anyway. That’s a solid Armagnac. Everything is in the right place, with an insolent depth considering its age.

88+/100

VALLEIN TERCINIER PETITE CHAMPAGNE LOT 58 (Cask sample)

First 50s VT here. 51%. PC. Let’s go!

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

Nose: So much elegance expressed by this first nose. Very delicate floral notes of orange blossom and lychee. Then comes the malted fruitiness of old Scotch, with its refined patina. Sublime lingering waxy notes. That’s a GRAND Cognac, without any doubt. A touch of damp cellar in the background, which is quite logical when you know VT’s cellars (and VT’s profiles, by extension). A chalky backbone runs through the whole profile. The nose keeps evolving in the glass, gradually revealing warm spices and vinous notes (caraway, and even a middle-aged Condrieu with its delicious apricot-and-honey profile).

Palate: Extra-oily texture with a magnificent acidulous aftertaste. Strawberry stew, Grand Veneur sauce (echoing the previous vinous notes), red berries. Beautiful rancio notes in the aftertaste, mainly on light cigar aromas and sage-infused butter. Stunning bright profile, driven by this particular acidulous thread that instantly makes you smile. Maybe a slight lack of depth considering the pedigree, but I’m really splitting hairs here.

Last Notes: It remains quite waxy with air, a bit like a very old paint behind its coating layer. A tad of Sauternes-Barsac wine scents too. Back on the palate, you get great floral shades again on violet sweets and peach blossom. That’s where I’m always impressed by 60s PC DNA. Delicateness, precision, exoticism. Could it be more enjoyable?

Apart from a very slight lack of depth, this is one I simply can’t forget. But it was almost scripted: 1960s Petite Champagne is my sweet spot. Being two years older doesn’t seem to matter after all.

92/100

DARTIGALONGUE RESERVE (2025 bottling) 42%

The latest Dartigalongue update for their core range is very relevant, imho, and this Reserve cuvée (6yo minimum) is a good example.

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

Nose: Light fruitiness on vine peach and apricot at first. Dry nutty notes, mainly walnut kernel and dry hazelnut. Easy-going, very smooth, with hints of freshness in the background.

Palate: Round and precise palate. Dartigalongue reshaped its core range, and that’s for the best imho. This young Bas-Armagnac is nicely balanced between sweetness and fruitiness, in line with its age. Not a stunner, but proper blending work for sure. Nice mix of caramel sweets and sultanas.

Last Notes: Cider apple notes, with a touch of rusticity. Hazelnut cream, crushed almond. Creamy texture without being overly sweet. It ends on fresh pear and white chocolate.

Easy Bas-Armagnac. Not the funniest, not the most complex, but a great example of what a good young blend can be.

84+/100

GRAPE OF THE ART PELLEHAUT 2005

Another GOTA, another BA, but this time with Pellehaut. 2005, 49,3%, 20yo, Ténarère and 100% Folle Blanche. Let’s go!

Colour: Amber, golden hues. Irregular heavy tears.

Nose: Full of roasted shades at first. Toasted bread, charred coffee beans. A roasted side nicely counterbalanced by heady citrus notes, mainly orange zest and orange blossom. Slightly tea-ish in the background.

Palate:Vivid and massive entrance. Charcoal and orange zest. Overcooked plum. Interesting profile, even if I miss precision and alcohol integration here. Full of liquorice in the aftertaste, followed by bitter root notes (gentian) and cloves.

Last Notes: A bit more on the dusty side. Ample dark tea notes, echoing the first impression. Heavy tannins, which don’t really suit my taste, to be honest. It ends on nutmeg and black pepper.

Bold kind of Armagnac, but with quite a bit of depth and finesse at times. Not that easy to score.

85+/100

JL PASQUET 'A la main' RATEAU 20.11 49,6%

Brand-new range from JLP. “À la main” is a tribute to producers and terroirs. This first bottling is a young GC from Nonaville bottled in 2026 at 49,6%.

Colour: Hay, orange hues. Irregular heavy tears.

Nose: Extreme exotic notes. Papaya, mango juice, passion fruit. Crazy stupid nose. Floral and yeasty notes, with a delicious mix of NEIPA beer, lychee and Gueuze. Deep cereal notes, which is something you often find in 10/20yo JLP cognacs (mainly Folle Blanche, but also a few others). And still that fabulous wave of exoticism. From a technical POV, maybe it could be seen as a flaw. But from a spirits-nerd POV, that’s p*rn.

Palate: Extreme acidulous profile. Yummy tangerine juice. Deep mouth length on smashed basil and white pepper. Maybe a lack of complexity, but hey, that’s a 2011! It ends on dried figs and balsamic shades.

Last Notes: Even more floral with air, with great scents of rosewater and honeysuckle. Guava and mango again. It could easily be served for breakfast as a tangerine/mango juice. Alcohol integration is good, but could have been a bit better. It ends on violet berlingot sweets.

Wonderful solar profile, with an unseen exotic DNA for this age. Give it 10 more years, just to see what happens…And if you want to make a pause in your Whisky Live Paris speed run session and want to enjoy a nice glass of OJ, well, you know where to pass by.

89/100

JL PASQUET 'A la main' TRIBOT L.T 96 48,1%

Another Criteuil from JLP here, but this time much younger. Second bottling in “À la main” range. Let’s go!

Colour: Dark amber, orange hues. Irregular heavy tears.

Nose: Very welcoming rancio at first. Exotic wave, but quite different from Rateau’s DNA. Lingering cherry and blackcurrant notes. Deep nose, with a touch of old leather in the background. Heady dry floral shades on lavender and potpourri. Hints of strawberry sorbet in the background.

Palate: Quite acidulous, with precious wood notes in the aftertaste. Very sharp profile. Clean and less rancio-forward than the nose would have suggested. 15yo Pineau notes with a dash of verjus to add a kick of acidity.

Last Notes: Full of nutty notes with air, mainly dry walnut. Pear juice. Still very clean. A bit more rancioted on the palate, with strong salted butter aromas. It ends on Sichuan pepper and cardamom.

Criteuil in its “youngness”. Not the easiest to catch, but already a promising one. I miss a bit of depth and alcohol integration to give it more than 88.

88/100

VELIER x GROSPERRIN LOT 81

Unreleased bottling from Velier. Same origin as the punkiest cognac in Grosperrin’s range. Verrières, 1981, 53,7%. Let’s go!

Colour: Amber, golden hues. Irregular heavy tears.

Nose: Massive nose, with wild camphory shades. Green tea, orange peel, bay leaf, reminding me of its brother, Grosperrin Grande Champagne N°80. Melon jam, honey. Intense freshness on mint and cedarwood. Precious oud notes, with distinct oriental perfume shades.

Palate: Funky, insolent DNA. Sharp af, intense chalky shades. Vine peach, grapefruit juice. 40yo… Usual Verrières joke. Great herbal shades on basil and rosemary. Tumultuous cognac for sure.

Last Notes: Nice vermouth notes with air. A bit of iodine on seaweed and marinière mussels. Virgin olive oil. Apricot jam. It goes everywhere with precision. Nice bitter notes on over-infused green tea. It ends on cola sweets and white Port aromas.

Under-oaked, sharp 40yo GC. Typical chalky Verrières. A spectacular profile, and not the easiest, to be honest. I’m afraid that if you’re not fond of blade-like Sauvignon from Sancerre, this cognac could be a bit disturbing.

90/100

MALTERNATIVE BELGIUM LE BOUC (Calvados #4, Giard) 1973 45%

Not the first Giard here, and always a good opportunity to remember this beautiful cellar (one of my favorites in the Calvados region). 1973, 45%. Let’s go!

Colour: Dark amber, amber hues. Irregular medium tears.

Nose: Apple rusticity followed by delicious bakery scents. Tatin pie, chausson aux pommes, plum clafoutis. Hints of limestone notes in the background. Apple and apricot stew.

Palate: Quite oily. Very close to the Amateur Spirit bottling profile. Verbena infusion, Bourbon vanilla, rich honey tones. Probably a bit more rustic, by the way, less on the fresher side.

Last Notes: Full of citrus notes with air, mainly dried orange. Deep yeasty scents. Great balsamic shades, like its twin. Back on the palate, you get a few malted notes, reminding me a little of some 15yo Irish whiskies.

Nice kind of Pays d’Auge Calvados. Really like Giard style. But I was a little bit more convinced by Amateur Spirit bottling, to be honest.

88+/100

This weekend, I will be heading to Whisky Live Paris, looking forward to catching up with familiar faces, meeting new ones and, of course, putting a few more glasses to the test. Hope to see you there!