Tasting notes Serge Valentin: 90 points

Some say Baraillon are to Armagnac what Vallein Tercinier are to Cognac, that is to say makers of perfect malternatives (as seen from a Malt Maniac’s POV, naturally). I’m not sure they are completely wrong.

Colour: amber.

Nose: bang, peach jam covered with liquid chocolate and coffee sauce. This is absolutely fantastic, undisputable, and simply evident. Please call the Anti-Malto… I mean the Anti-Brandyporn brigade!

Mouth: sweet Vishnu! Let’s start with the darker side, or the flipside, it is a little too oaky for me. We’re talking black tannins, Russian tea, eating a cigar, totally burnt chocolate cake… Now on the front side, you’ve got these wonderful notes of coffee, of prune cake, of heavy dark red wine (strong Cahors or Madiran, if that rings a bell), liquorice, proper no-Nestlé espresso, walnuts… If you like this heavier style, you’ll love this sherry monster that did not need any sherry (ooh that one was good, S., very good indeed).

Finish: extremely long, very coffee-ish, rather more grape-y. I would add that the aftertaste is pretty tannic, though.

Comments: great cognac: 1 – great armagnac: 1. Great very old-school armagnac, some old families still have such old casks down there in the Gers, but they have old riffles too. So, careful!