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.

My very subjective note: 88+/100