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Armagnac, The Thinking Woman's Brandy

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thinking woman's brandyMarch is a month that celebrates women, with International Women’s Day and Mother’s Day well established in the worldwide calendar.  Jane McQuitty has been writing in The Times about the relationship between women and armagnac.  Not dissimilar to cognac, armagnac is made on a continuous column still and its lower distillation range, of between 52 – 72 % ab, allows a greater fruitiness in the spirit, although sometimes at the expense of refinement.  She heralds the many female armagnac producers including our very good friend Florence Castarede, the sixth generation of her family to produce the very fine Castarede Bas Armagnac.  The article also quotes another friend of ours, Amanda Garnham, who lived and worked in the Armagnac region for decades.  Amanda said that “Armagnac is the thinking woman’s brandy ”.   An interesting analogy that might refer to someone you know!

So, if you are still looking for a Mother’s Day gift, take a look at all the wonderful armagnacs we have to offer.  Many are vintages, labelled with the year they were harvested and come from the top cru, Bas Armagnac.

Mother's Day 2023 – Sunday 19th March

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Mother's Day 2023Mothers hold a special part
Of all that’s cherished in one’s heart,
She is one’s pearl, one’s soul, one’s mate;
She is the one to make life great.

Adapted from a poem by Kirsten Rollander

Looking for a special gift for Mother’s Day 2023?  We have lots of gins, brandies, whiskies, liqueurs and vermouths from which to choose.  And if you fancy something out of the ordinary, do try some Pineau des Charentes.  Made from cognac eau de vie and grape juice it’s fabulous drunk cold as an aperitif or dessert wine.

Take a look at the special offers on our home page, every month we reduce the prices on three of our products so that more of you lovely people can try the wonderful variety that the spirits world has to offer.

Magnums of Armagnac for Claridge's Hotel

Posted / in Brandy Bottle Reviews, Famous Armagnac Houses, News and tagged , , , , , ,

MagnumsJust in receipt of these beauties.  Three magnums of Bas Armagnac, from the highly respected producers Castarede and Delord, will soon be on their way to Claridge’s Hotel in London.  No doubt they will look spectacular in the newly refurbished hotel.  Did you see the recent documentary on BBC 2, Claridge’s, following the most amazing transformation of the hotel whilst it remained open?  Well worth a watch!

Of course, the hotel provides beautiful surroundings if you would like to pay a visit to try one of these superb armagnacs in situ.  But if a trip to London is not on the cards, you could whet your appetite by reading the tasting notes or purchasing one of our 70cl bottles online.  The links can be found here: Castarede 1965 Bas Armagnac Castarede 1980 Bas Armagnac  Delord 1970 Armagnac

 

Bas Armagnacs from 1987 and 2005

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Bas ArmagnacsThe latest Bas Armagnacs to join our stocks are these two vintage beauties: Chateau de Bordeneuve 1987 and Delord 2005.  Distilled in the year printed on the label, they come from two of the most respected armagnac producers and the grapes were grown in the top cru of Bas.

The 2005 is the youngest vintage that we stock, and a perfect gift for those with an 18th birthday this year.  Vintage spirits, such as cognac and armagnac, will always increase in value over time as only a limited number of bottles were ever produced so once they have been drunk, there will be no more. The brandy will not deteriorate in the glass as the seal will ensure it stays the same as the day it was bottled (although we do recommend resealing bottles every 20 years). The dwindling supply does, however, mean that the price of vintage brandies is increasing all the time and their purchase is becoming recognised as a shrewd investment. Buying vintage armagnac as an 18th Birthday Present gives the recipient choices. Either to keep, drink and enjoy or, keep as an investment for years down the line when 2005 armagnacs become rare and highly sought-after.

 

Expansion Of Our Toutain Calvados Range

Posted in How to make Calvados, News, News from the Brandy Houses and tagged , , , ,

Toutain CalvadosThe Apple Of A Brandy Drinker’s Eye

We have just expanded our recently acquired Toutain Calvados range; a family firm, now on the fifth generation, who produce calvados from their own orchards.  In keeping with the high standards of Brandyclassics, we know precisely how long each Toutain product has spent in cask.  Unlike most calvados producers, Toutain make their calvados without the addition of pears.  (Pears are usually added to increase acidity and in these cases a pear drop flavour can sometimes be detected.)  They are smooth and mellow with an unmistakable apple flavour and now the whole range comes in a new, boxed presentation.

The two new products on our shelves are as follows:

Toutain Reserve 3 Year Old Calvados.   The youngest in the range but still with the delicious aroma and flavour of vanilla and cooked apples.  RRP £37.92.

Toutain Reserve Odile 60 Year Old Calvados.  This exclusive bottling pays tribute to Odile Toutain who, 60 years ago, took over the management of Domaine de la Couterie.  Distilled in 1959, the calvados was carefully aged for 60 years in the family cellars. Presented in a beautiful carafe and sealed in a wooden housing, only a limited edition of 234 bottles is available.  RRP £881.58

View the entire range of Toutain age-statemented calvados here.

Bonbonne of 1889 Cognac Sells for £68K

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1889 CognacA very exciting Christmas present for someone perhaps?  This 8 litre bonbonne of Hermitage 1889 Paradis Cognac was sold last week, the asking price was £68,300.  A one-off presentation of this superb 1889 cognac is a very rare offering by Hermitage Cognacs and was snapped up at Hedonism Wines in Mayfair.

It was distilled in the late nineteenth century (1889) when Exposition Universelle (World’s Fair) in Paris opened with the recently completed Eiffel Tower serving as the entrance arch.  At 300m high it retained the record for the tallest man-made structure for 41 years.

The cognac comes from the southeast part of the region, now known as Grande Champagne, around the charming little village of Bouteville.  It was made on a small wood fired still and is a glorious example of some of the finest Premier Cru craftmanship of the era, when the understanding of cognac production methods was at its best.  Aged for more than 70 years in oak casks, which has optimized its key qualities of balance and rancio, this cognac is completely natural, with no reduction.  Such a long time in wood has produced an even distribution of flavours including cocoa, walnut kernels and coffee with a final and delicious long rancio, the much favoured richness, so highly desirable in these fine old cognacs.

 

Christmas Hermitage Reviews

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Hermitage ReviewsHermitage ReviewsSome wonderful Hermitage Reviews this Christmas:

The new edition of Club Oenologique has just been published, with a fabulous review and picture of the Hermitage 1972 Cognac by Joel Harrison.

“Curator of some of the oldest single vintage and single vineyard Cognacs around, Hermitage is run from a small village in Wiltshire.  Cognac expert David Baker has built unrivalled relationships with some of the more boutique distillers in the region, allowing him to bottle extremely old and rare cognacs.  This 1972 vintage is drawn from grapes grown in the Petite Champagne region and has a sensationally aromatic nose, with balanced sweetness and acidity.  The cigar-hungry finish gives integrated wood and a spicy concentration as well as mildly drying tannins.”

Olly Smith, well known TV personality, has also been posting about our Hermitage 40 Year Old Grande Champagne Cognac.  Aged with great care and expertise, this wonderful Grande Champagne cognac has been in an oak barrel for 40 years slowly maturing to its optimum condition. Flavours of plum and vanilla expand into lychee, pear, hay, plum and dried mandarin demonstrating complexity and individuality.  Winner of The Cognac Masters 2020, Masters Award.

 

Christmas Gifts for Under £200

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For those who would like to spend just a little bit more, here are our suggestions for 5 Christmas Gifts that can be purchased for under £200.  Enjoy the read!

Under £200Hermitage Provenance 25 Grande Champagne Cognac £126.72  Cognacs from the Grande Champagne age very slowly producing flavours such as roasted nuts, rich fruits and citrus. This cognac’s wonderfully complex flavours are a result of having been kept in oak barrels, in damp cellars, for over 25 years.

Dupont 20 Year Old Pays d’Age Calvados £147.24  This wonderful calvados is made from 80% bittersweet apples and 20% acidic apples and has been aged for over 20 years in a wooden vat and toasted oak barrels.  Well balanced with long and intense flavours of fruit and toasted hazelnuts.

Hermitage 30 Year Old Grande Champagne Cognac  £163.86  Thirty years of oak ageing ensures this cognac has far more intense flavour and complexity than the big commercial blends.  It has a rich nutty, spice and coffee flavour with mature pineapple background.

Chateau du Breuil 20 Year Old Pays d’Age Calvados  £164.94  A taste of sweet baked apples with an overindulgent richness. There are 5 apple varieties with only 20% being picked from the tree, the remainder are fallen apples with higher sugar content.

Castarede 1972 Bas Armagnac  £164.94  All of Castarède’s armagnacs come from the top cru, Bas Armagnac, which produces light, fruity, delicate and highly reputed eaux de vie, from which the armagnacs are distilled.  Elegant and refined with flavours of dried fruits, bread pudding, toffee and sweet spices.

Christmas Gifts For Under £100

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In our second gift guide, designed to make choosing those precious Christmas gifts just a little bit easier, we have selected 5 of our favourites, all of which are priced at under £100:

Under £100Montanaro Grappa Barolo Cannubi    £72.30  A unique grappa distilled from the grape marcs of Nebbiolo da Barolo from the famous Cannubi cru. One of Montanaro’s finest it has an unmistakable intensity on the nose and cleanliness and elegance in the mouth; soft, velvety, sweet and delicate flavours with notes of dried fruit and jam. Aged in Slavonian oak barrels for 4-5 years, it has a golden yellow colour typical of wood-aged distillates.

Hermitage 2010 Grande Champagne Cognac   £76.14   Another wonderful vintage from the Chez Richon stills, this cognac is still in cask and maturing all the time. Traditional flavours of mocha and toffee are accompanied by butterscotch and sweet spices to delight your palate. As our award-winning 2005 vintage has run out, we are pleased to have found this 2010 as a worthy replacement.

Toutain Hors d’Age 15 Year Old Calvados   £77.22    There are 35 apple varieties allowable for the production of calvados and Toutain grow all their own in their orchards near Beuzeville, Normandy. This Hors d’Age calvados has been aged in oak for 15 years to produce a complex and fine calvados suitable for drinking during or after a meal.

Mosgaard Organic Single Malt Palo Cortado Cask Whisky   £84.12  Finished in casks built from American white oak, which had been medium toasted, and put into stock with Palo Cortado sherry for 1.5 years.  (Palo Cortado is a sherry with the nose of Amontillado and the body from Oloroso).  It has been bottled at a strength of 53% which balances the spicy malt and green citrus notes.

Delord 1992 Bas Armagnac   £88.26   An armagnac with character from Delord. It was distilled in 1992 and aged in wooden barrels until its recent bottling. It is contact with the wood that has helped give its beautiful colour of old gold with copper highlights.  

Christmas Gifts For Under £50

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We have a wealth of Christmas present ideas to suit all budgets but to make choosing a little easier, we have selected 5 of our favourites, all of which are priced at under £50:

Under £50Montanaro Vermouth Extra Dry Di Torino    £33.48    Straw-yellow coloured, with light amber shadows, due to the addition of 5% of fine Marsala to the main white wine. A bitter orange taste on the palate, followed by the Gentian and lemon peel. Perfect for a Martini Cocktail, or neat, on the rocks. The low sugar content of 25 grams/litre explains why it is really ‘Extra Dry’.

Mosgaard Organic Tangerine Gin    £39    Sweet and floral organic tangerine gin made from fresh tangerines. A perfect gin for cocktails adding a little acidity and apple-like sharpness or with tonic over plenty of ice. The citrus package gives it a more aromatic expression and is balanced with lime.

Domaine de Cassagnoles 5 Year Old Tenareze Armagnac   £41.28    From the second cru of Armagnac the small house of Cassagnoles has been making armagnacs for many years. This 5 year old has the traditional plummy style but with more of a greengage flavour and a clean finish.

Chateau de Bordeneuve La Grande Josiane, Orange Armagnac Liqueur   £42.84    Developed from an old family recipe, La Grande Josiane is the result of a subtle alliance between the fullness and strength of Bas Armagnac and the softness and perfume of bitter oranges, meticulously selected for their maturity. Can be served as an aperitif over ice, mixed with sparkling wine, as a digestif or in cooking on crèpes flambées and fruit salads.

Château de Beaulon 2000 Pineau des Charentes – White   £49.68    Another vintage Pineau des Charentes by Chateau de Beaulon. We understand that it was aged in casks previously used for ageing the famous white Sauterne, Chateau d’Yquem and the result is a wonderfully delicious, rich Pineau; a masterpiece of great authority of this rare drink.