Darroze Domaine de Martin 2003 53%​ (2026)

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.

My very subjective note: 87/100