1987 Fitte et Laterrade 31 Year Old "Domaine Le Chaou" Bas-Armagnac

$139.99

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K&L Buyer

These wild single cask Armagnac represent some of the These wild single cask Armagnac represent some of the most unique and powerful brandies we've ever tasted. Hailing from a tiny domaine in the "Grand Cru" village of Perquie, this producer received a single cask each vintage he worked harvesting grapes for the famous Domaine de Charron. The powerful and oak driven style of brandy is exactly what most modern Armagnac producers are trying to avoid. The powerful esters of the alembique column stills mixed with 30 years in new oak, create a completely unique example of what the rustic brandies of Gascogne can be. This is the real deal, old school, in your face style of brandy that is simply not available outside of the few tiny farms that continue to make this style for home consumption. The 87 is savory in a way that the 88 is not. The color is an identical shade of reddish mahogany, but the nose goes in different direction! Tanned hide, sweet herbs, fresh roasted coffee, red currants, wild honey and lacquer box. The palate has a freshness that contrasts the deep savory quality of the nose. An almost tangy acidity carries through the structured palate moving toward those tangy red fruits in a very unusual way. The spicy peppery oak builds on the finish. Shockingly different from its sibling, this strange balance between zippy structure and tense savoriness. An all together exhausting and wonderful experience.

Staff Reviews

Will Blakely

Remarkably bright and fresh by comparison, the fruit and acid show more in this bottle than in its 1988 counterpart. Dates, dried berries, cinnamon and a pleasant herbal whiff paint a more complex and nuanced picture here, still supported by strong vanilla and barrel spice. The oak feels less intense, though by no means delicate. There is simply more to appreciate in this bottle. Apricot and citrus are ever-present, but the finish is less bitter and feels more deft. Truly an impressive bottle, and hard to believe they would part with such marvelous brandy for such a low price.

Notes

The dense, powerful character of the Domaine Le Chaou is the result of 30+ years in new oak with absolutely no intervention by the producer whatsoever. These two casks were located by the proprietor of Fitte et Laterrade by pure chance. The little domaine had distilled a tiny bit of Armagnac nearly two decades ago. The farmer who grew the grapes, proud of his work in the fields, spent a considerable amount of money to purchase new oak for the 300 liters or so of eau-de-vie that he managed to squeeze out of his tiny estate. There they sat, occasionally consumed by friends or family, but otherwise undisturbed in the farmer's small chai. When Vincent purchased the casks he had spent the whole day tasting other producers and was astonished by the unique powerful brandies coming from Le Chaou. He was completely flabbergasted when he received the barrels weeks later to find that he'd purchased two of the most intense and powerful brandies he'd ever tasted. It's a style that's not easy to commercialize in France, as they're consumers looking for an easier, sweeter profile, but the moment we tasted them we knew that we had have it all. We purchased the stocks in their entirety and believe that these two casks will go down in K&L history as some of the most memorable and delicious Armagnacs we've ever sold. Those expecting a more typical style of Bas-Armagnac, where elegance and grace is the focus, be warned. These two brandies are powerhouses like few we've ever tasted before.

Details

Origin	Bas-Armagnac, Armagnac, France
Type/Varietal	Armagnac
Alcohol Content	49.5%
SKU	1404351