A new armagnac line-up today, featuring a mix of younger blends and late-80s/70s vintages. 4 OBs and 1 IB, 3 different producers and various armagnac areas.
Veuve Goudoulin 30yo 40%
And to start another Goudoulin here, this time with a 30yo BA blend (bottled in 2022).
Colour: Orange, gold lights. Medium regular tears.
Nose: Round citrus and vanilla notes at first. Nice zesty profile, mainly orange zest cake. A comfort-driven fruitiness with lingering apple-cake scents. Easy and clean nose, mixing warm spices (paprika, caraway) with pastry tones.
Palate: Caramel sweets at first. Round fruity notes echoing the nose. A tad of toffee in the aftertaste. Relevant tannin structure, but I clearly miss depth and mouth length here.
Last Notes: Full of nutty shades with air, especially pistachio and almond paste. Hints of heathery notes. Oak influence becomes heavier, expressed through coconut powder. It ends on orangette sweets and linseed oil.
A regular, easy Bas-Armagnac with no particular flaw, except a lack of funk and depth.
84+/100
Veuve Goudoulin 1988 40%
Goudoulin again, but with the 1988 vintage. Bas-Armagnac and 40% too.
Colour: Amber, gold lights. Medium regular tears.
Nose: Vivid citrus notes, even more zesty than the 30yo. Ample brand-new wood. Discreet floral touches on dry potpourri. A tad of roasted notes in the background, especially chocolate.
Palate: Sharp attack, again driven by these vivid citrus notes. Hints of fresh spices: cardamom, white pepper. More rustic than expected. It ends on briny olive oil shades and plum eau-de-vie.
Last Notes: A bit leathery with air. Floral notes on orange blossom. Roasted coffee bean. Slightly earthy too. Back on the palate, even more on the briny side: seaweed and black olive tones. It ends on bitter IPA notes.
Nice kind of armagnac, but once again missing a bit of funk or excitement.
85+/100
Veuve Goudoulin 1979 40%
Last Goudoulin of today’s session. Late 70s vintage, BA, and 40% as you guess.
Colour: Mahogany, gold lights. Irregular medium tears.
Nose: Beautiful rancio on leather and goat milk. Fresh floral notes. An entrance that reminds me of old HRR Borderies. Promising bouquet. Heathery background. Nice rusticity.
Palate: Maraschino and raisins at first. A tad of acetate and that funky acidulous rancio you sometimes get with Danis (or for rum lovers: TDL), with blackcurrant juice in the aftertaste. Some malted tones. Slight fermented hints on black tea and Brillat-Savarin cheese. Maybe a tad too sharp regarding oak influence.
Last Notes: Heady red fruits. Great vivid rancio balanced by heavy oxidized notes on old Savagnin wine. Slightly mushroomy too. Back on the palate, it’s a bit more oaky than previously perceived. It ends on truffle oil and kiwi/grapefruit juice.
Here comes the funk. A bit imperfect, but definitely a good dram.
87+/100
Seailles 1988 49% OB
I’ve already reviewed a GOTA bottling for this 1988 Seailles. As far as I know, there were two casks for this vintage, and this OB comes from the other cask. Tenareze, 2022 bottling and 49%.
Colour: Mahogany, orange lights. Irregular heavy tears.
Nose: Full of exotic notes at first: tinned peach, mango juice, caramelized pineapple. Bang! Peppery and acidulous shades reminiscent of L’Anglore wines (great natural winemaker in Tavel). Graphite. Wild rancio on damp cellar.
Palate: Extra-oily texture with a tad of acidity in the aftertaste. Cherry liqueur, red-fruits jam. Great length. Subtle violet-sweets aromas. High-acidity profile, clearly on the chalky side. It ends on nutmeg powder and tarragon.
Last Notes: Even fruitier with air: vine peach, litchi, bergamot, apricot jam. This fresh fruitiness always gets me, especially when lifted by a funky rancio (and it is). A tad herbal on basil and eucalyptus. It ends on breakfast tea, muesli and Sichuan pepper.
Well-integrated wood, funkiness, depth. Everything for a highly pleasurable dram.
89/100
Swell de Spirits #8 Flashback Charron Bas-Armagnac 1996 48,3%
Another review for this estate here, another IB version. Cask strength 1996 vintage, BA. Let’s go!
Colour: Dark amber, orange lights. Irregular heavy tears.
Nose: Delicate nutty notes at first, then heady citrus. Heavy tannins. Slightly jammy, mainly banana and quince. Elegant floral shades emerging through the oak.
Palate: Strong tannins, confirming nose impressions. Roasted notes, especially ristretto. Sugary fruitiness on raisins and tinned plum. It ends on molasses and licorice sweets.
Last Notes: Orange sweets with air. Warm spices (ras-el-hanout, paprika). Hints of honey. Back on the palate, a bunch of chocolate notes. It ends on star anise and white port tones.
Bold but funky Bas-Armagnac. Usually not my preferred style, but I must admit this one works well.
87+/100
A really interesting set overall. The two younger Goudoulin bottlings were solid, easy-drinking armagnacs: clean, gentle, maybe a bit short. The older 1979 Goudoulin definitely brought more personality, with proper rancio and a touch of that “old-cellar funk” that makes these long-aged Bas-Armagnacs so charming.
Seailles 1988 clearly stood out, delivering a perfect balance between the vibrant fruity side and the rustic rancio. The Domaine de Charron by Swell 1996 was another good surprise: bold, tannic, but with enough funk and sweetness to stay enjoyable.
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