Darroze Domaine Le Tuc 1978 Bas-Armagnac

Darroze Domaine Le Tuc 1978 Bas-Armagnac is a single-estate, single-vintage Armagnac from the Darroze family, distilled in 1978 at Domaine Le Tuc in Lagraulas (Vic-Fezensac) and bottled at its natural strength of 48.5% ABV in a 700ml bottle. It was made from Baco and Ugni Blanc. The spirit spent about 44 years in oak before bottling. The estate sits in the former commune of Lagraulas at Vic-Fezensac, on clay-limestone soils. Darroze keeps every estate and vintage separate and does not reduce its Armagnacs with water, so each bottle reflects one property, one harvest and one cask selection. The label records the estate, the vintage and the bottling date, which together give the spirit's real age, since Armagnac stops ageing once it is in glass.

Nose: Cocoa, liquorice, leather and tobacco, intense yet delicate.

Palate: Silky, slightly sweet tannins opening into candied fruit, spice and rancio.

Finish: Long.

Serve: Neat in a tulip glass at room temperature, after a few minutes in the glass.