Armagnac Mini-Series: Montesquiou, Labadie, and Loujan

Today heralds the start of an armagnac mini-series.

.

Starting with a Marquis de Montesquiou pair, MdM has had a rebrand since these miniatures were prepared from bottles [by MoM] way back in 2017. A cool hip website steers us swiftly past tradition [and any real content] and towards cocktails so hopes aren’t hugely high.

Marquis de Montesquiou Reserve [2017] Ob. 40%

For those in the know, ‘Reserve’ means nothing for any alcoholic beverage. One website said this ‘,… is at least 5 years matured‘, but that website – www.tastefrance-wineandspirits.com – now seems to be defunct.

• N: Fairly hazy at first but things are more illuminated after 20 minutes or so though it remains rather ‘blended’ on-descript ripe fruits, vanillins, mince pies, cinnamon,…
• T: A little rough yet with a soft delivery, this continues to be hazy and non-descript on cinnamon and wood spice though ok/pleasant enough.
• F: Weak into the finish with some soft fungal fruit tannins at the tail, it’s the cinnamon and pepper that remain.
• C: Jobbing armagnac that has all of the markers in place if not quite the execution but a step up from the cheap stuff, certainly.

76 points

.

Marquis de Montesquiou Extra Old [2017] Ob. 40% WF65

Extra Old in reality means ‘older than six years’. According to myarmagnac.com [and then Google translated], the ‘Appellations Commerciales de l’Armagnac‘ are thus:

ARMAGNAC TROIS ETOILES: Blend of different Armagnacs, the youngest of which is at least 1 year old.
ARMAGNAC V.S.O.P (Very Superior Old Pale): Blend of Armagnacs aged for at least four years in wooden barrels.
ARMAGNAC X.O (Extra Old): Blend aged for at least six years.
ARMAGNAC HORS D’AGE: Blend of Armagnacs, the youngest of which is 10 years old.

• N: Smells rum-like in part – mostly Doorly’s 12yo [WLP180 WLP283 WLP385] – so we are not in a bad place. On the grape side of things, stylistically, this smells more like standard cognac than armagnac, but again, no bad place. Descriptors-wise, I’ll kickstart you off with cheap liqueur chocolate, cheap coffee [Maxwell House], chicory, and potpourri. Like the ‘Reserve’, overall, there’s a non-descript haziness even after an hour and more.
• T: On the sweeter side yet citrusy too with an oily runny honey filmy direction. If slightly lacking, we’ve a Jack-of-all-trades that’s not sure what it is and where it wants to be. Again, not unpleasant, just muddled and continuing to be more like cognac than armagnac.
• F: Fruit/fructose-sweetened pickled walnuts, it all remains fairly sweet and safe, a hint of nutmeg,… – densely sweet if not quite sticky/sickly, so only a suggestion of Diplimatico rum.
• C: No gremlins here, this will please many as a comfort.

Near miss

.

Domaine de Labadie Blason Noir [2017] Ob. 40% WF60

• N: Much like the Cles des Ducs [coming up in a later post], this is vodka/rum-like – so more column than pot. Perfect for a Pina Colada then.
• T: Like cheap bar fodder on a cheap holiday resort, this isn’t for me. 
• F: I’ve lost all interest.
• C: Life is definitely too short.

No score

.

Moving swiftly on, let’s see if we can at least finish strongly.

Domaine Loujan 2000 Ob. Bas Armagnac 46.5% WF84

• N: This is more like it. Notwithstanding the ‘committed’ abv, this is a sharper more focused presentation. Crisp oak vanillins and notes of rice [not specified] appear alongside the commonly recognised fruity armagnac profile giving this one a fresher face than the more old-skool Marquis’s. All those fruits made into a compote make their way onto lightly toasted nutty rye bread with mixed herbs & spices in the background.

• T: Fruity for sure with a sharper spicy citrusy yet greasy olive & engine oil edge that sets this one apart from our previous cognac-like and more traditional armagnacs. The intensity remains just at the right levels to allow for a little water management [if required].
• F: A developmental profile & textural finish with displays of cherry confectionary sweets, marzipan, frangipane, dank walnuts, and more of that ripe fruit compote punch over a controlled fresh citrusy fungal quality, the rye bread reference remaining true to the finishing line.
• C: A more ‘modern’ cask-led approach for this vintage, it would seem. All good my end.

84 points

.

.