ARMAGNAC

MARQUIS DE MONTESQUIOU XO

This Armagnac stands out for its uniquely layered maturity. The fusion of wood and fruit is almost coming to an end. Rich, complex and full-bodied with hints of cocoa, tobacco, leather and plum this XO embodies what we call Savoir Faire.

Marquis de Montesquiou Armagnac XO

Vendor: Marquis de Montesquiou
Regular price: €81,90
Sale price: €81,90
Regular price
Unit price: €16,38per 100ml

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Welcome to Gascony

Concept

Armagnac is a very distinctive and seductive brandy that can express the rich history and originality of Gascony in a single sip. It’s distilled from wine usually made from a blend of grapes and aged in French oak barrels for many years.

Ingredients

Armagnac only exists because every year, on the slopes of beautiful Gascony, different grapes are grown that will eventually be vinified, distilled, and aged. The following three are used in Marquis de Montesquiou Armagnacs: Ugni Blanc, Folle Blanche, Baco 22A.

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People

The Société Produits d´Armagnac, home of Marquis de Montesquiou and Comte de Lauvia, was founded in 1936 by Pierre de Montesquiou, a politically ambitious Armagnac merchant and co-founder of the Confrérie des Mousquetaires de l’Armagnac.

DANDY'S DEEP DIVE

The Armagnac Soil

Legend has it that when God created the earth, He forgot a small corner of Gascony, which made Him very sad. A tear ran down His cheek and when it fell to the ground, it formed the region of Armagnac. In reality, Armagnac is almost certainly a human construct and a protected designation of origin (Appéllation d'Origine Contrôlée, AOC) made up of three distinct regions.
Bas-Armagnac is the northernmost (and lowest) part of Armagnac and considered the region that produces the finest and most aromatic eaux-de-vie. The soil ranges from sandy loam (sable fauves) in the east to loamy gravel (boulbéne) in the west. Ténarèze is the central region of the appellation. The soil consists mainly of limestone and clay, or peyrusquet, which changes to loamy-sandy soil in the west. The Armagnacs produced in Ténarèze are strong and aromatic, but take a long time to fully develop. The soils of Haut-Armagnac are predominantly of marly limestone or a clay-limestone mixture on the surface, which have earned it the nickname "white Armagnac". It is known for producing strong Armagnacs that are best drunk young.

The distillation of wine

Every year from the end of October to the end of January, the Flamme de l´Armagnac is carried round on foot and on horseback to symbolically light the stills of each distillery and herald the magical period of distillation. Unlike Cognac, which undergoes double distillation in a Charentais-style pot still, Armagnac typically undergoes only one distillation using a specific pure copper apparatus by the name of Alembic Armagnacais that was endorsed in 1818 by a stove maker in Auch.

Assemblage

Traditionally, Armagnac is a composition (or assemblage) of different eaux-de-vie from different vintages, grape varieties, and locations. However, the assemblage is not a duty, but rather an art form; an interplay of man and nature with the ultimate goal of sensory harmony.

Tasting Notes of the XO

XO (Extra Old), the youngest Armagnac in the blend, is no younger than Compte 10, meaning it is aged for at least 10 years, or in our case on average about 13 years.

Amber color. Delicate spicy but fruity nose. There are aromas of apricot, caramel, vanilla, cocoa, tobacco, leather, plum, roasted walnuts and caramelized fruits.