Nose: Whoa. A rich, dark, dank explosion. Dark chocolate covered cherries. Julie has taken to hiding those so we don’t steal them from her now that the kids are tall enough to get into the secret treats cabinet. Dr pepper BBQ sauce. Black potting soil. Caramelized pecans. I’ve got a jar of locally made miel de caña, which isn’t technically honey, but is boiled down sugar cane juice to make syrup. It’s so dark and funky, approaching an amazing balsamic vinegar / molasses note. This is an oak monster.
Palate: Ohhh yeah. Oak to the max. Aged vinegar and the tiniest note of anchovies. I’ve been obsessively making caesar salad dressing for the past three weeks trying to nail the recipe before Julie gets back from visiting her parents. It’s her favorite and she was complaining that no restaurants on the island make it right. It’s all about that umami vibe. Hints of worcestershire and high quality anchovies. Dark chocolate bitterness – like the first time I tasted a cacao nib or espresso before I knew what to expect. And a concentrated sweetness that has almost stopped being sweet. Like a fermented date or dried fid. The spice cabinet is out of control, especially on the clove side. Oak and more oak. Just powerful.
Rating: 7 / 10 – I love that armagnac can get here, although let’s just acknowledge it’s a bit of an aberration. As an oakenfile, this is an absolutely outstanding pour, but it’s probably jumped the shark for most fans. It is so close to an 8. What a nose!
