bottleneck bottle
So I hadn't bought any Armagnac for a couple years because I bought an especially bad bottle. I don't even know what it is -- the cork broke a long time ago, so I decanted it into an old Château de Montal bottle. Finally, through many heroic, nobles acts of consumption, I've finished the old one to make way for the new one. This was selected on account of Sku -- otherwise I probably would have gone for Baraillon or Ognoas. Also: readers please note by fine use of the circumflex. I just figured that out.
Very woody nose. Slightly grassy at first, and then the fruit powers in. It starts with very ripe pears and cherries, and then becomes more exotic. Well, somewhat more exotic: flambéed bananas. Dried apricots, parsley, lilacs, and custard (crème brûlée -- the diacritical marks might be affecting my palate). A young old spirit.
Palate is a little alcoholic and fairly grapey. Some old varnish and leather. Finish is long and fruity but somewhat drying.
The nose on this is stunning -- powerful and rich. The palate is more bracing than subtle. I'll take a point off for the finish, but it's hard to find fault. So thanks for the tip, Sku. (unless the other ones were even better!)
score: 90
+special bonus for comparison's sake: the last pour of the old bottle
generic Armagnac, unknown vintage, unknown abv.
nose is clean, as in scrubbed with soap. some juice box (apple, grape) flavors come through after a couple minutes. very light palate -- almost entirely raisins, with maybe a prune or two and some grape stems. Finish is pure raisins, and surprisingly long and sweet. This isn't bad stuff, but lacks very many or very intense flavors, so there never seemed to be much point in drinking it. You kind of have to focus to remember what kind of spirit it is. (And *not* in the ancient, this-is-so-complex-it-transcends-its-primary-flavors way.)
score: 68
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