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1981 Domaine du Cardinat 34 Year Old "K&L Exclusive" Bas Armagnac

1981 Domaine du Cardinat 34 Year Old "K&L Exclusive" Bas Armagnac

$99.99

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DO
David Othenin-Girard

David Othenin-Girard

K&L Buyer
The 1981 vintage is the oldest stocks that the Singh family was willing to part with when we visited. This eau-de-vie is likely some of the darkest richest spirit we've ever come across in all of Gascogne. It's intense color is the result of what some of the more modern producers would term,"a lack of work," meaning that they eau-de-vie haven't been aerated and topped up consistently enough. What those producers don't realize is that the esters they're trying to soften through aeration represent the exact flavors, we WANT in our old armagnac. Sure if the brandy is 5 or 10 years old it will taste harsh and over the top rugged, but give it 20 or 30 years and we're starting to develop the kind of complex flavors that are so hard to find in the spirits world. This wonderful brandy starts with a big fresh tobacco note, plum jam, and dried spices. As it aerates you'll find the tobacco moving further toward the fresh tanned hide and deep exotic wood tones. ON the palate its soft and warming with rancio fruit and sweet spice oak taking over. I'm always amazed when we find a new producer that's never made a blip on my radar before and even more amazed when the prices are this good.

Notes

Of all the old vintages at Cardinat, this one was the most interesting. The Domaine in the chalky soils of the western Gers is one of the unsung gems of the region. Farmed by the Lalanne Family for three generations, the property sits on a choice ridge sloping slight down to the south toward the river Adour which meanders toward northeastern border of the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department. The five-hectare estate is planted to 40% Baco 22a and 40% Folle Blanche, with a tiny portion of the southernmost vineyards devoted to equal parts Ugni Blanc and Colombard. Most vintages are a blend of all four varietals, but certain ones are heavier on the Folle Blanche. 1981 was a tough year in Bordeaux, but a banner year at Cardinat and the resulting brandies are heavy on tertiary components, with all the soft elegance that Folle Blanche provides. The magnificent balance between savory earthy flavors, soft richness, and stupendous texture is exactly why we love Armagnac. The labels states 34 year but this was bottled in 2018 so it's more like 37-38 years old. No question one of the best deals for the big oaky old style Armagnacs.

Details

TypeArmagnac and Cognac
VarietalArmagnac
OriginBas-Armagnac, Armagnac, France
Bottle Size750 mL
Alcohol Content49%
SKU1287599