Tesseron 53. Huge change of pace from the barrel proof bourbons I’ve been drinking of late. Hard to switch gears, but the nuance & subtlety is fantastic
Armagnac Delord 25 years old
Blend of 25 yo + Armagnacs.
Single distilled from a blend of Colombar, Ugni Blanc and Baco 22A grape varieties grown on Delord’s own bas region vineyards.
2014 - Gold - Concours des Armagnacs d’Eauze
2013 - Gold - Concours Général de Paris
2011 - Ultimate Spirit Challenge NY - Chairman’s trophy, 97 pts
Extraordinary - Ultimate recommendation
(…)
2007 - Ranked 7 in Top 10 greatest Spirit in the USA
2006 - 5 stars - Paul Pacult’s Spirit Journal - Highly recommended
2006 - Best buy - 96 / 100pts - Wine Enthusiast
Cognac - Hine 1948 - London bottled - wonderful.
Not Cognac, but I’m drinking a California brandy: Germain-Robin XO, which is a pretty good rendition.
Be careful, once you start drinking Cognac (and that 53 is pretty good), you won’t be able to go back to Bourbon or whiskey. Just too much smoke and wood.
Navarre Cognac - oh my god. Best $200 you’ll ever spend.
I’ve liked this in the past, while also finding tremendous variation. Both the regular iteration and two reserves (Shareholders and Coast Road, which is the new name for the Shareholders I believe) are available locally at attractive prices. I worry that I’ve been spoiled by nice armagnacs and cognacs and won’t appreciate the G-R but will probably pull the trigger soon to see.
As for brandy ruining a taste in bourbon let’s not be ridiculous. Maybe it does help one refine their taste in bourbons though.
1947 Laubade (bottled in 2/2007).
Delicious.
the Baraillon Armagnac available at K&L is stellar. I like the 95 and 98.
I’ve found G-R hit or mis. Some versions are simply too oaky, esp the barrel selections for K&L.
Currently my fav drink is Armagnac from Tariquet. They have 6 different ones and they are great and very reasonably priced.
K&L have a bunch, yes, you can thank me in part since they were reluctant to restock. Will be picking up some 12 and 15 year olds soon.
Has anyone had the 1992 Laballe that K&L has (or other Laballe)? I browse all their 92 stuff now and then as I have a daughter born that year, and this came up.
I have not had it. but it does look like they have some nice choices for 92s at a similar price point including the ethereal Bruichladdich and a Fonseca. I highly recommend the laddie, it’s such a pure expression.
I went to a Tesseron tasting at a local shop tonight. They had the 90, 76, 53, 29 and two higher end ones, Tresor and Royal Blend. The 53 and particularly 29 are extraordinary. I can’t rationalize the $600 for the 29 but if I were ever to spend that for a bottle of something that would probably be it.
The two higher end ones (selling for $1250 each) were very good but even the importer agreed they were not as good as the 53 and 29, just rarer.
There’s an interesting style difference between the 53 and 29. 53 is bolder, more like people have described above. The 29 is lighter in body but has an amazingly complex bloom in the mouth.
I liked the 90 quite a bit and more than the 76 tonight. It’s not as complex as the others but it has a nice freshness to its aromas and is very bold. I ended up with a bottle each of 90 and 53. At my rate of drinking such things that may be a lifetime supply.
Just bought a bottle of Louis XIII and Paradis…unsure when they will be opened…but always good to have around the house just in case.
Bought a couple cases of wine from a west cliff drive estate…'74 Inglenook Cab '74 Beaulieu Beautour Cab and others Krug, kept thinking about the cork cap in a bottle that twisted off. So took a peak and quite a surprise. 1972 half bottle of Remy Napoléon Grand Champagne Cognac. The sweetest sound you ever heard was the psst sound of a sealed bottle of 45 year old Cognac being opened after 40 years since the last glass in 1972…4am and had to try it!!! Fantastic!
Beautiful butterscotch and carmelized sugar flavors.
What I try to keep on hand and highly recommended:
Chateau Montifaud XO
Pierre Ferrand Sélection des Anges
Prunier XO
Right now I am having a Marthe Sepia 30 year old. Very nice at 44% ABV.
K&L has an 87 Armagnac I’m thinking of trying, anyone had it?