Distiller Notes
This over-40-year-old Armagnac is produced from the rare, tough-skinned grape varietal, Baco. Due to its heightened acidity and tannic structure, Baco creates a powerful and complex style of Armagnac that can age pleasingly for decades.
Proof: 96
Professional Ratings
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Vinous
It’s said that Martine Lafitte hates Baco, but this 100% Baco bottling was distilled by her late father Leon. This hedonistic 40-year-old brandy is rich and powerful, with lots of cocoa, prune, and almond, and good length on the finish. It’s age and scarcity is the reason for its price.
Cardinal Vital Du Four claimed that it “cures gout and cankers, heals wounds of the skin … renders men joyous, preserves youth and retards senility.”
Armagnac is produced in the Gascony region of Southwest France and is among the earliest of spirits produced, prescribed over the last 700 years for a myriad of therapeutic benefits. Owing to its ancient heritage, the production method is much simpler than that of its cousin, Cognac, with just a single distillation through a column still prior to barrel aging. This yields a spirit that is generally more flavorful and fragrant than other Brandies.