1930 Croix de Salles Armagnac

A 1930 vintage Armagnac from Croix de Salles, a house founded by Pascal Dartigalongue and still owned by the family as of 2013. They are based in a vineyard named "Lacroutz" in the town of Salles d'Armagnac in the heart of the region. This is an excellent example of old Bas-Armagnac.

Imagine, 1930.

Colour: Red amber.

Nose: Very delicate and extremely floral. Peonies, wallflowers, lilac, nectars and honeys… I believe this is rather sublime and that lower strengths do go well with this kind of profile. Rosewood, cherry jam, viognier (or Condrieu), fig wine, drops of mead, tokay, a little mint and camphor… This really is a sublime nose.

Mouth: Almost calavados-y, with notes of sour apples and damson spirit. Vieille prune all over again, chouchen (distilled mead),, some cocoa, black tobacco, overripe apples… it’s excellent.

Finish: Medium and rather on roasted raisins and burnt brioche.

Comments: it is extremely rare that I would go up to 90 just because of a stunning nose. Extremely rare indeed, but not totally unseen.