Darroze Les Grand Assemblages 40 Yr Old Carafe, 70cl

At 40 years, the Armagnac’s style is definitely apparent. The quality of the oak used is very important, as the right use of a quality barrel will bring complexity and finesse to the Armagnac; elements that can be judged and appreciated after 40 years in contact with the wood. For several generations, the Darroze family has scoured Gascony in the Grands Crus centre of the Bas Armagnac region. Thousands of centuries old treasures are held in stock at the Darroze house. This diversity in the crus, the years, the grape varieties and the styles has allowed Marc Darroze to work on this range known as " Les Grands Assemblages " (The Great Blends). Chosen for their complementary characteristics, the selected armagnacs in each blend are different ages. Each age on the bottle indicates the age of the youngest Armagnac in the blend. "Pour a glass of this complex, luxurious brandy and watch how the flavours evolve. At first, its reads fleetingly sweet, thanks to its notes of vanilla, orange peel and juicy clementine. Ultimately, it finishes dry, with a toffee flavor that unfurls to reveal touches of vanilla, spice, dark chocolate, sandalwood and black tea. 95 points." Kara Newman, Wine Enthusiast Magazine (December 2020)