Château Laballe Bas Armagnac 2001

Great, aged Armagnac can convey a deep sense of place in a manner that is rare in the spirits world, and Laballe’s fabulous examples are loaded with personality, fine textures and flavours that echo across the palate. Distilled in the domaine’s 1923 wood-fired copper still, these Armagnacs then age in Chêne Noir Gascon—410-litre barrels made of oak from the nearby Landes forest—until they are bottled for sale. The extended maturation within this thick-grained oak imparts plenty of tannin and spice, giving Laballe’s vintage Armagnac its distinctive style., There is no addition of colour, and all the spirits are bottled brut de fût—unfiltered and at their natural alcohol level—often from a single barrel. 

100% Ugni Blanc. A powerful and richly expressive vintage in the fruity realm. The nose reveals aromas of orange blossom, pineapple and fresh lychee intertwined with cloves, chilli and tobacco. A bold and broad entry carries flavours of almond and hazelnut before turning more toward leather and spice, then honey and warm patisserie. The long, velvety palate closes with lingering notes of orange, lychee and gingerbread.