Food & Drink

Review: Armagnacs of Chateau de Laubade

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Armagnac producer Chateau de Laubade acquired its begin in 1870 in Gascony, and at this time it farms 260 acres of grapes used for its brandies. Laubade’s declare to fame — considered one of them, at the very least — is that it’s considered one of few properties producing all 4 grapes allowed by the Armagnac appellation: ugni blanc, folle blanche, colombard, and baco. It occurs to be the biggest producer of baco grapes in your entire area. The distillery additionally notes that its blends are aged twice so long as required by laws.

We acquired a smattering of Laubade releases, together with two of its classics and numerous particular editions. Let’s dig in.

Chateau de Laubade Bas Armagnac VSOP – This entry-level bottling, aged 6 to 12 years, is nothing out of the atypical, presenting as an unfinished, tough, and somewhat astringent spirit. Tight on the nostril with notes of lavender and linen, it’s each floral and industrial in equal measures. The palate’s extra engaging, showcasing caramel sauce and recent apricots, earlier than retreating to its extra astringent notes that linger too lengthy on the end. 80 proof. B / $40 [BUY IT NOW FROM DRIZLY]

Chateau de Laubade Bas Armagnac Signature – One other very younger brandy; this one’s distinctive in that a part of the mix was aged in second fill barrels beforehand used to age dry white wines from Bordeaux. It’s additionally barely increased in proof. Fairly perfumed and floral, this can be a more energizing, brighter spirit with extra fruit evident on the nostril. It’s additionally noticeably hotter on the tongue, although it’s nonetheless fairly light, which helps to focus one’s consideration on the larger, brighter florals within the combine. Violets are curiously robust right here, and the caramel character is extra aggressive. There’s a little bit of spice on the end, which is in any other case youthful, recent, and vigorous — albeit somewhat simplistic. 84 proof. B+ / $30 [BUY IT NOW FROM DRIZLY]

Chateau de Laubade Bas Armagnac XO – 15 to 25 years of age. Right here we see Laubade actually coming into its personal, and whereas the brandy stays tough across the edges, its nostril nonetheless only a bit astringent, spicier notes are actually beginning to emerge, providing aromas of baking spice and incense. Chocolate notes and loads of pepper give the palate some punch, because the physique meanders its manner right into a extra conventional composition of golden raisins, fragrance, and heady incense on the prolonged end. This isn’t an extremely complicated brandy, however its illustration of well-aged armagnac is spot-on. 80 proof. A- / $75 [BUY IT NOW FROM DRIZLY]

Chateau de Laubade Bas Armagnac Intemporel No. 5 – Constituted of a hefty 45% baco grapes and bottled from casks predominantly from the Eighties, this was named the very best brandy on the earth again in 2007 on the SF World Spirits Competitors. (Intemporel means “timeless.”) Each extra intense and austere, the nostril right here is participating from the beginning, with notes of strawberry, chocolate, vanilla, all filtered by way of an fringe of leather-based. The palate is gentle and candy, evoking fruity shortcake, vanilla cream, and cola notes unexpectedly — touched simply so with the peppery character that’s seen right here and there within the Laubade lineup. Lush and candy however by no means overbearing because the end approaches, that is an iconic (but fairly inexpensive) instance of armagnac at its greatest. 80 proof. A / $140 [BUY IT NOW FROM DRIZLY]

Chateau de Laubade Bas Armagnac L’Distinctive Single Cask #2 – So right here’s a wacky factor. Bardstown Bourbon Co. just lately launched a killer bourbon finished in Laubade casks. That is the flipside: Bardstown despatched the barrel again and Laubade completed an armagnac in it. The preliminary brandy is a mix of two 8 12 months previous single casks of baco and ugni blanc armagnac, distilled in 2011. The ending time is 8 months. There may be a degree of diminishing returns on this experiment, although using a comparatively younger brandy in that is in all probability extra impactful. It’s tight on the nostril, with some astringency and a blunt petrol character that overpowers the florals beneath. On the tongue, a clearer raisin be aware emerges alongside notes of lavender, jasmine, and a pinch of baking spice. The silkiness of Laubade’s older marcs is absent right here, nonetheless, and for what it’s price, the one impression of bourbon offered is a gritty punchiness on the again finish that evokes a contact of woody barrel char — although the high-proof bottling could possibly be doing a few of that speaking. 698 bottles produced. 96.8 proof. B / $70

chateaudelaubade.com

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Chateau de Laubade Bas Armagnac Intemporel No. 5

$149

Ranking

9.5/10

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