Domaine de Baraillon 2000 - 2023 Folle Blanche Fût No.50 for TWM

Tasting note

Nose

100% Folle Blanche and you can taste it, what a fruitbowl. White grapes and light sultanas fly into your nose.

Taste

A single cask at cask strength bottled and selected by Jürgen of The Whisky Merchenary. Jürgen has worked with this company for a long time, so he is offered gems unavailable to others. This cask is a hit. Full-bodied, spicy, but ooh so fruity. Classic armagnac, but with just that little bit more. 

Finish

Did I mention fruit? The finish is also uber fruity, which is sooo nice!

The distillery

The Domaine de Baraillon is located just outside Lannemaignan in the Bas-Armagnac. The pretty little estate is surrounded by sunflower, maize and wheat fields and, of course, vineyards. Driving past the Domaine, you wouldn't even know that Armagnac is produced here, were it not for a large barrel on the side of the road with their name written on it. 

Claverie's Armagnacs are a combination of two properties: 4 hectares owned by Patriach Paul's sister in Le Freche and 12 hectares around his house. All vineyards are full of the three major grape varieties, Baco, Colombard and Ugni Blanc. Until 2012 they used the Loubere distillery in Labastide d'Armagnac, but in 2012 they bought their own stills in which they now turn their wines into spirits. The fresh eau de vie normally goes into 5,000-litre casks before being transferred to smaller barrels. Both new and old barrels are used for this purpose. The barrels are regularly aerated to promote oxidation. The oldest stocks date back to the late 19th century and it occasionally seems as if time has stood still at Domaine de Baraillon. Tradition and quality are therefore highly valued by the family.