The French Spirits Forum- Cognac, Armagnac, Calvados

[WhiskeyBlender]

On 12/3/2019 at 3:08 AM, WhiskeyBlender said:

Hey Kevin @kevinbrink, just wanted to acknowledge that I saw this post and your questions about the cooperage. I'll be flying cross-country from FL back home to CA today and I'm headed to the airport right now, so I won't get a chance to answer it today. However, I'll get back to you ASAP on it. Also, many thanks for pointing out some stores that still have Ch. du Busca! I'll cerainly check those out. 

 

Cheers,

Nancy

@kevinbrink, I'm so sorry to just now be getting to your question. I'm pretty sure that she sourced her barrels from Tonnellerie Bartholomo in Le Freche. In fact, Gilles Bartholomo pretty much makes all of the barrels that come from the Armagnac region, using the local Gascon oak which comes from the Monlezun forest. That said, there are a few producers that use Q. robur (aka "Limousin oak," which is generally used for Cognac). 

 

Does that help? 

 

Cheers,

Nancy

[kevinbrink]

2 minutes ago, WhiskeyBlender said:

@kevinbrink, I'm so sorry to just now be getting to your question. I'm pretty sure that she sourced her barrels from Tonnellerie Bartholomo in Le Freche. In fact, Gilles Bartholomo pretty much makes all of the barrels that come from the Armagnac region, using the local Gascon oak which comes from the Monlezun forest. That said, there are a few producers that use Q. robur (aka "Limousin oak," which is generally used for Cognac). 

 

Does that help? 

 

Cheers,

Nancy

Sure does Nancy, always nice to have someone around here who knows about such things, Armagnac not exactly being as easy to find information about as other spirits. Thanks as always!

[WhiskeyBlender]

On 12/4/2019 at 11:22 AM, Bbstout said:

$200 for the 1975...Would this be a good pickup?

 

They also have the 1978 for $250.

 

 

@Bbstout, I don't know why I only hit "like" and didn't respond to this before, but good God, if you can still find the Chateau du Busca-Maniban 1975 for $200, then by all means, YES!!!! I have several bottles of the '76, and it is exceptional. It is one of my all-time favorite vintage Armagnacs. 

 

Cheers,

Nancy

[fosmith]

14 hours ago, WhiskeyBlender said:

@Bbstout, I don't know why I only hit "like" and didn't respond to this before, but good God, if you can still find the Chateau du Busca-Maniban 1975 for $200, then by all means, YES!!!! I have several bottles of the '76, and it is exceptional. It is one of my all-time favorite vintage Armagnacs. 

 

Cheers,

Nancy

Nancy,

What about the 1978?  TW has it for $180.  I probably know the answer but is it worth a pick up? 

Thanks,

Fred

[kevinbrink]

9 minutes ago, fosmith said:

Nancy,

What about the 1978?  TW has it for $180.  I probably know the answer but is it worth a pick up? 

Thanks,

Fred

I've had two pours out of my Brother's bottle I've been pretty tempted to try to hunt a bottle down for myself, it's a very good pour.

[Bbstout]

On 1/18/2020 at 6:40 PM, WhiskeyBlender said:

@Bbstout, I don't know why I only hit "like" and didn't respond to this before, but good God, if you can still find the Chateau du Busca-Maniban 1975 for $200, then by all means, YES!!!! I have several bottles of the '76, and it is exceptional. It is one of my all-time favorite vintage Armagnacs. 

 

Cheers,

Nancy

Nancy,

 

Thanks. By now all the lurkers have cleared out every bottle. That would be a good thing because I am having my BIL in Wisconsin pick up a couple of bottles of Bellafontaine Batch 3 and the 10th if he can find it.

[WhiskeyBlender]

1 hour ago, Bbstout said:

Nancy,

 

Thanks. By now all the lurkers have cleared out every bottle. That would be a good thing because I am having my BIL in Wisconsin pick up a couple of bottles of Bellafontaine Batch 3 and the 10th if he can find it.

Oh no, @Bbstout, I'm sorry that I was that late on the draw that you missed the golden opportunity! Well, if the chance ever comes up again, please don't hesitate on those bottles. I think you'll be very well pleased. 

 

However, I'm selfishly thrilled that you'll be able to snag some J. Henry 10th and Belle III! If you're BIL is able to procure them, let me know. I'd love to hear your thoughts. 

 

Cheers,

Nancy

[WhiskeyBlender]

11 hours ago, fosmith said:

Nancy,

What about the 1978?  TW has it for $180.  I probably know the answer but is it worth a pick up? 

Thanks,

Fred

Fred, that's a great price, so go for it! I don't want to jump ahead of you before you have a chance to buy it, but if there's enough to go around, would you mind PM'ing me to let me know which of our local TW's has it? I'd like to snag one or two for myself. 

[Bbstout]

51 minutes ago, WhiskeyBlender said:

Oh no, @Bbstout, I'm sorry that I was that late on the draw that you missed the golden opportunity! Well, if the chance ever comes up again, please don't hesitate on those bottles. I think you'll be very well pleased. 

 

However, I'm selfishly thrilled that you'll be able to snag some J. Henry 10th and Belle III! If you're BIL is able to procure them, let me know. I'd love to hear your thoughts. 

 

Cheers,

Nancy

I was Joking Nancy. They still could be there. Just pointing out the fact that there is alot of enthusiasm for your blends. I will be happy with the J Henry's.

[DeepCover]

I was looking for a bottle of Osocalis XO and a friend out of state found the Heritage for me. He sent me this pic. I plan to get it from him in a couple of weeks. Really looking forward to trying it.

 

[WhiskeyBlender]

On 2/18/2020 at 5:55 PM, DeepCover said:

I was looking for a bottle of Osocalis XO and a friend out of state found the Heritage for me. He sent me this pic. I plan to get it from him in a couple of weeks. Really looking forward to trying it.

 

@DeepCover, WOW!!!! Please let me know what you think of it. That is made by a friend of mine, Dan Farber, who is located about an hour away from me, just east of Santa Cruz. In fact, I would consider him a mentor as well as a friend. After Germain-Robin, where I got my start, was bought by Gallo, Dan is the "last man standing" of the great Alambic Brandy producers. He's been producing since the late 80's/early 90's. The bottling that you have will be a blend of Pinot Noir and Colombard grapes. 

 

Cheers, and enjoy! 

Nancy

[DeepCover]

Thanks, @WhiskeyBlender. I was in California 2 weeks ago and got a bottle of G-R XO, which I really like. I plan to be back in California in a few weeks and I’ll pick up a few bottles while I’m there. I’ll be in LA and will drive up to San Simeon.

It’s a shame there aren’t more options for domestic alambic brandies. In the meantime I plan to work my way through all the G-R and Osocalis options I can find, though they are very limited here in TX. I must confess, my friend picked up 2 bottles of the Osocalis Heritage (he bought an extra for his liquor store in case I liked the bottle I already committed to), I ended up taking them both. Better safe than sorry!

 

I didn’t jot down tasting notes, but the G-R XO has a phenomenal nose and I love the rich, plum notes I get.

 

[Guss West]

I've had little luck finding the cask strength age stated vintage bottles.  

Nevertheless, I've been enjoying the few bottles of Armagnac that have been opened. 

I've barely gotten to the neck on these, so all are first impressions. 

 

The Pellehut Tenareze Reserve seems a bit young? perhaps; it has a dry earthiness and woodiness that seems different than the Bas Armagnacs.  I realize there is much said about the differences in the terroir of these locations. 

 

I opened the 30 year Darroze Assemblage in celebration of a big career move; I hope it opens up with some air as it gets comfortable in my home.  The 30y has obvious notes of rancio; just delicious.   

 

My early favorite has to the the Artez Ugni; I have the FB still unopened.  What a nice balanced approachable "everyday" armagnac.  Not particularly old but I love the punchy characterful spirit with plenty of french oak accents.  

 

I purchased a couple of 80 proof calvados to try as well.  I'm a huge fan of Lairds 12y.  

 

2020 is my year of armagnac.  If these trends continue, the 2020s may become my decade of armagnac!!  

 

 

[WhiskeyBlender]

On 2/22/2020 at 7:18 AM, DeepCover said:

Thanks, @WhiskeyBlender. I was in California 2 weeks ago and got a bottle of G-R XO, which I really like. I plan to be back in California in a few weeks and I’ll pick up a few bottles while I’m there. I’ll be in LA and will drive up to San Simeon.

It’s a shame there aren’t more options for domestic alambic brandies. In the meantime I plan to work my way through all the G-R and Osocalis options I can find, though they are very limited here in TX. I must confess, my friend picked up 2 bottles of the Osocalis Heritage (he bought an extra for his liquor store in case I liked the bottle I already committed to), I ended up taking them both. Better safe than sorry!

 

I didn’t jot down tasting notes, but the G-R XO has a phenomenal nose and I love the rich, plum notes I get.

 

Hey @DeepCover, I'm so sorry I'm just now getting back to you about your bottle of Germain-Robin XO. I'm so glad that you're enjoying that bottle! That blend has traditionally that blend has been around 75% Pinot Noir, 10-20% French Colombard, 5-10% Semillon, with a hint of Chenin Blanc. 

 

Now that G-R has been bought by Gallo, what you have there is a rare and precious treasure. I don't mean to come across as a glassware snob on this, but I guarantee that if you use either a Glencairn whisky glass or some sort of tulip-shaped glass for it, it will be infinitely more enjoyable than out of a balloon glass. The French call that particular glass "The Liar," because it accentuates the aggressive alcohol notes while diminishing the positive aromatics. 

 

Please let me know what you think about the Osocalis Heritage. As I mentioned before, my friend Dan Farber is the master distiller/blender/owner of that alambic brandy, and now he's the "last man standing" of the alambic brandy tradition here in the States. 

 

@Guss West, I really like the direction you're headed about the 2020's becoming the decade of Armagnac! Yes, I think you're absolutely right about the Pellehaut Tenareze Reserve being on the young side. In general, Armagnacs from the Tenareze need more time for maturation than Armagnacs from the Bas Armagnac region do. Bas Armagnacs tend to show well much better at a younger age. 

 

I'd love to know what Calvados you bought. If you plan on buying more of that, I'd be happy to give you some general advice on what to look for in buying Calvados. 

 

Cheers,

Nancy

[DeepCover]

I finally got the chance to try the Osocalis Heritage and I’m really impressed. It starts off with a hint of apricot, but quickly transitions to salted caramel. I pick up a hint of plum and lavender before chocolate hits me on the finish and lingers a bit. This is a rich, sweet pour that I can see a bourbon drinker like myself salivating over.

 

[WhiskeyBlender]

Hey there @DeepCover, so sorry I'm just now swinging back to the forum. I've been away for a few weeks. 

 

Wow, I'm so happy to hear that you liked the Osocalis Heritage! The palate and finish have such great intensity. I too think that it is very pleasing to Bourbon lovers. 

 

Hope you're staying well and imbibing delicious drams during all this viral craziness! 

 

Cheers,

Nancy

[DeepCover]

Fingers crossed that I made it to California and back unscathed and virus-free. Along the way, I was able to pick up an extra G-R XO and an XO Maison Surrenne. I’m really looking forward to trying the Maison Surrenne. I got this in lieu of an Osocalis XO (wasn’t sure how much room I’d have in my bag). 
 

[kevinbrink]

A damn nice pour, the rumor over at Serious Brandy when this bottle was purchased was that it was actually re-racked into another cask after 40 years for another 10, I take that for what it is worth, but for my 40th this is definitely a pour worthy of celebration. 

[DeepCover]

@kevinbrinkHappy 40th!
 

I’m having a rather pedestrian option tonight, but my god what great bang for the buck Delord is.

 

[kevinbrink]

3 minutes ago, DeepCover said:

@kevinbrinkHappy 40th!
 

I’m having a rather pedestrian option tonight, but my god what great bang for the buck Delord is.

 

True story, enjoy it!

[DeepCover]

First pour of the XO Maison Surrenne tonight. Soft, rich butterscotch notes. I’m a fan for sure. 
 

[WhiskeyBlender]

On 3/19/2020 at 7:35 PM, DeepCover said:

@kevinbrinkHappy 40th!
 

I’m having a rather pedestrian option tonight, but my god what great bang for the buck Delord is.

 

Au contraire, @DeepCover, even if Delord is relatively easy to find here in the States, it's still an excellent pour! If you ever make it to the Armagnac region, make sure to check them out. Jerome Delord, the son who is in charge of sales and marketing at Armagnac Delord, is a real treasure, as are his father, Jacques and brother Sylvain, who take care of production. They have always been exceedingly generous with their time and knowledge, are very down-to-earth. Really just a family of good folks who care deeply about making an affordable yet high quality product. 

 

Now moving on to that Maison Surrenne XO Grande Champagne, that's another real winner too! Back in April 2017, when I was looking to buy an old Cognac or Armagnac still for Joseph Magnus and traveling around France with my mentor, Hubert Germain-Robin, I go the chance to meet Richard Braastad, owner and cellar master at Cognac Tiffon, which makes Maison Surrenne. In fact, Hubert and Richard were childhood friends! In 1998, they partnered together to create Maison Surrenne for the U.S. market. 

 

Hope you're enjoying both bottles very much, my friend! They're both excellent representatives of family-owned distilleries of high quality Cognac and Armagnac. Sorry for the name-dropping, but I thought since you're enjoying these bottles so much, you might enjoy some personal insight into these two excellent houses. 

 

In the photos below, Hubert and I give the thumbs-up on our travels through Cognac & Armagnac; toasting Jerome Delord with some world-class vintage Armagnac. 

 

Cheers,

Nancy

Edited March 22, 2020 by WhiskeyBlender

[DeepCover]

@WhiskeyBlenderThanks, Nancy. Please keep the stories and name dropping coming! And the pics! I thoroughly enjoy getting your perspective on the spirits market. I know I’ll never be that fortunate, so I think it’s awesome to get your insight.

 

Sometimes I can be short with my commentary, but to qualify my statement regarding Delord, I was really referring to the Napoleon, relative to their other offerings. I’ve tried the 25 and I really liked it. I have yet to try one of the vintage bottles, but that’s on my list also. Once I finish the Napoleon, I’ll proceed with picking up another Delord with some more age on it. Perhaps a vintage from my birth year. I do come across it from time to time.
 

And I downplayed the Maison Surrenne a bit. It’s absolutely phenomenal. I’d love to hear your thoughts (or anyone else’s) on a fairly available Grande Champagne Cognac that might have a comparable profile. I’ve come to terms with the fact that I may not ever get the chance on another XO Maison Surrenne.

 

Cheers and I hope you’re staying safe.

[fosmith]

On 3/19/2020 at 7:35 PM, DeepCover said:

I’m having a rather pedestrian option tonight, but my god what great bang for the buck Delord is.

Delord 25yr was my gateway drug into Armagnac.  I was mostly a bourbon drinker and had enjoyed some Cognacs but Armagnac was, to me, like Japanese whisky - too esoteric to touch.  Then, a few years ago, my sister gifted me a bottle of Delord 25yr and it was a revelation!  Like a cross between bourbon and Cognac.  Since then, I've branched out to the world of single barrel, cask strength Armagnacs from K&L and Seelbach's that are some of the best spirits I've ever had.  I thank my sister but my bank account doesn't...

[DeepCover]

This was has gotten decent reviews and I was in the mood for something new. It was on the shelf at TW today, so why not? I’m looking forward to trying it out.