After the Renaissance armagnacs from L’Encantada, we now have a look at a few of their different bottlings.

We begin with a reasonably basic armagnac, a blended armagnac actually with spirits from completely different estates within the Bas-Armagnac area. L’Encantada mixed them right into a single cask and matured it for 20+ years. It has been bottled at completely different time limits, if I’m not mistaken.

Armagnac L’Encantada Sélection 20 Ans (47,2%, OB 2022, cask #134)

Nostril: fairly fruity, with a mixture of plums, peaches and pears. Additionally aromatic / floral notes, main as much as vanilla. Orange juice and peels. Then some beehive notes, like wax and honey. Only a hint of minty freshness, tea and oak spice on prime. A pleasant composition.

Mouth: clearly extra oak affect now, albeit in a sublime, polished means. Natural notes and liquorice, with roasted almonds and hints of walnuts. Then some honey, but additionally a lightweight petroly word and clove, leaving a bittersweet footprint and echoes of rancio. Plums and orange peels within the background.

End: medium lengthy, with extra plums, natural oak, vanilla and orange peel.

This armagnac has a really harmonious, elegant nostril that might simply trick you into pondering it was a cognac. Barely firmer and positively extra spicy on the palate. General a effectively composed mix and a great worth armagnac. Nonetheless out there from the L’Encantada webshop.

Now we transfer to some experimental stuff, beginning with a younger armagnac from Domaine Artigaux. It’s a mix of black oak from Gascony (Quercus robur) so as to add depth, and additional aged in Limousin oak (Quercus petraea) so as to add lusciousness.

Armagnac Artigaux 7 yo 2015 (57,6%, L’Encantada 2023, 2000 btl.)

Nostril: bitter quinces and pears, with a woody word that hints in direction of glue and polish. Possibly a touch of white balsamic too. Then sweeter hints of apples and vanilla biscuits. Lemon peels. The large woody sweetness provides it a rum-like character.

Mouth: fairly fierce and woody, with a bittersweet word and numerous varnish once more. Then clove and nutmeg, on a background of plum eau-de-vie, apples, salted butter and burnt sugar. A agency sourness as effectively, mixing with pepper and ginger. Even a sulphurous edge. It does really feel a little bit experimental.

End: quite lengthy, on bitter grapes, roasted nuts and new wooden.

Armagnac meets rum and American whiskey? A quite ferocious proposition dialed as much as 11, as much as the purpose the place it turns into a little bit tough to sip. Name me conservative. Accessible from L’Encantada direct. Rating: 78/100

Armagnac Domaine Du Pin 2006 (54,4%, L’Encantada 2023, cask #15, 50 cl, 580 btl.)

Nostril: fairly a large profile, with aromatic apricots and candy pears, together with floral notes. Geraniums! Vanilla and heady oak, in addition to cinnamon and hints of nougat. Heather honey earlier than we return in direction of mirabelles.

Mouth: fairly candy. Caramelized almonds and baked apples. Extra peaches and yellow plums. Brown sugar. Mid-palate good rancio notes come out, with a little bit mint, raisins and later a touch of tobacco. Drier and earthier ultimately.

End: fairly lengthy, with pepper(mint) and hints of nutmeg, on prime of calmly sugary notes.

Actually good armagnac, with the next complexity than I anticipated at this age. Somewhat elegant as effectively. At lower than € 100, this comes really useful. Rating: 88/100

Subsequent up: two experimental spirits. For a product to be referred to as armagnac, it will need to have been saved in an oak barrel for not less than one 12 months, however solely native sessile oak and English oak (or their hybrids). Which means particular cask finishes as we all know them in whisky usually are not allowed. Nevertheless L’Encantada likes to mess around with these crossovers, even after they must be referred to as Eau-de-Vie de Gascogne.

Eau-de-vie de Gascogne Labeyrie 2011 (54,7%, L’Encantada ‘Tattoo collection’ 2023, Weller bourbon cask end)

Nostril: largely the heady oak comes out, though there’s nonetheless an orchard fruitiness beneath. Pears, oranges, with vanilla and a drop of honey. Loads of floral notes with some wooden spice. General not too complicated.

Mouth: the same woody heat, with hints of maple syrup, white pepper and nutmeg. Then orange peels and hints of raisins. Some vanilla. It comes accross as a reasonably younger, spirity spirit – an impression that could be highlighted by the additional bourbon oak.

End: medium, nonetheless pretty impartial, with oak spice and a touch of drying cocoa powder.

Fairly easy – this doesn’t actually persuade me. I’m undecided Weller is one of the best bourbon to enhance an armagnac. In truth, can American oak add a lot to (extra fragrant) French oak within the first place? Focus on. Accessible from L’Encantada. Rating: 81/100

Eau-de-vie de Gascogne Domaine Du Pin 2016 (56,6%, L’Encantada 2023, Barbados rum end)

Nostril: fairly rounded, marked by oak once more however with extra heat. Hints of coconut sweetness, a little bit leather-based and grape sweetness, possibly a touch of inexperienced banana. A light-weight metallic word too. A little bit of spiced milk chocolate as effectively.

Mouth: properly fruity now. Grapes, peaches, some citrus. It finds a pleasant center floor in between armagnac and rum certainly. A little bit of alcohol warmth and natural bitterness ultimately maybe. Spices develop alongside the best way.

End: medium size, with peper and ginger within the lead. Herbs as effectively. Too unhealthy the fruits are gone now.

So sure, rum does add extra pleasure than bourbon, for my part. An fascinating hybrid, and actually reasonably priced. Accessible from L’Encantada. Rating: 85/100