1986 L'Encantada 30 Year Old "Domaine Le Frêche" Cask #44 Bas-Armagnac (750ml)

Notes

Rarely has a spirit so affordable provided me with so much overt joy as this special cask from Domaine Le Frêche. L'Encantada scours the countryside for rare gems and finding this is like extracting a perfectly cut diamond directly from the ground. The little village in the department of Landes is home to some of the most expensive and well regarded estates in Armagnac. Just to the northwest is the famous Domaine Boingnères and to the south the excellent Chateau de Ravignan. Boingnères is run by Armagnac royalty and their spirit commands an impressive premium over eau-de-vie from the Gers and Tenereze to the East. There's no question that if Armagnac designated Grand Cru villages Le Frêche would be top of the list. The excellent terroir paired with a high quality new Gascogne oak results in what I can only describe as one of my favorite spirits of the year, maybe the decade. After more than 30 years in the barrel, this eau-de-vie has taken on nuance I've only experienced before in ultra old single malt Scotch. The closest comparison that comes to mind is the heady tropical complexity of 60s Bowmore or 40s Glenlivet. It's this incredible balance between sweet and savory that keeps me coming back for more. While an '86 Boingnères would easily cost you $250+ and Bowmore from the 60s closer to $10000, this wonderful cask is a steal for $130. Very few spirits deliver this level of depth and complexity in such a seemless package and almost none at this price point. A true legend.