1989 Chateau de Pellehaut 30 Year Old K&L Exclusive Tenareze Armagnac (750ml)

Staff Reviews

WB

Will Blakely

Will Blakely

An impressive addition to an already mind-blowing line-up from Pellehaut, this bottling makes a compelling case for fans of well-aged bourbon to switch to Armagnac. Dark, brooding and woody on the nose, it shows its intensity from the first pour, with a dense display of dried currant, maple and cocoa. The palate delivers even more concentration - vanilla bean, baker's chocolate, fig, spice box and toasted tobacco. The earthy finish lingers, letting all the powerful flavors settle before dissipating. Despite 30 years in barrel, it hovers just under 50% alcohol, so I would not fault you a drop of water. If you go that route, expect the brandy to unleash sticky sweet syrup and lush fruitcake, chock full of finely chopped nuts. Just a phenomenal bottle.

Notes

Chateau Pellehaut has been one of our top direct imports for the past year here at K&L. We've visited the Ténarèze producer twice over the past few years, always finding something new to bring home for our brandy fans. While Bas-Armagnac gets all the press, and the Haut-Armagnac gets completely ignored, the Tenareze region of Armagnac is quietly producing some of the best brandies in the world. Much like the Borderies region in Cognac, the Tenareze brandies seem to have more fruit and a bit more life than the more classic Armagnac style. We visited Chateau Pellehaut one January day and were completely overwhelmed by the quality of spirit. Using only new or first fill barrels for the beginning years of maturation, the Armagnacs have richness, weight, and spice. This incredible vintage of distilled from 100% Folle Blanche showcases the incredible depth and purity that the Chateau can obtain without masking the inherent quality of the spirit completely by oak. The fruit character is at the forefront--that little flurry of spice and floral nature that Folle Blanche tends to bring to the party. Again, the quality to price ratio is off the charts. No one can top Pellehaut in the bang for your buck category.