Armagnac Laterrade - 25 years - Cask Strength - 42%
In Mauvezin-d’Armagnac, the Laterrade house cultivates a deeply Gascon vision of eaux-de-vie: preserving their origin, their history, and the uniqueness acquired over decades in wood. A trained sommelier, Vincent Laterrade has built a reputation as a “treasure hunter” by exploring cellars in search of forgotten casks and old stocks kept within producer families. This intimate knowledge of the vineyard has allowed him to assemble a collection of vintages dating back to 1904, with remarkable continuity since 1959. The vintage eaux-de-vie remain linked to an identified estate, while blends are composed with the same pursuit of traceability and coherence. The cellar also houses armagnacs produced by the house from grapes grown organically since 2017. Paulina Laterrade now supports commercial development, while Alexandra is gradually joining this family adventure. Behind the diversity of origins and ages lies a constant line: letting the fruit, wood, and time express themselves without embellishment.
This 25-year-old Armagnac blends eaux-de-vie from the Bas-Armagnac of Landes and the Ténarèze, two complementary terroirs of the region. The tawny sands of the first are sought after for the finesse and fruity character they can impart, while the boulbènes and clay-limestone soils of the second willingly bring more structure and depth. Baco and Ugni blanc grapes enter its composition, followed by traditional single-pass Armagnac distillation. The youngest eau-de-vie in the blend has aged more than twenty-five years in barrels, during which alcohol, wood, and oxygen have slowly found their harmony. Vincent Laterrade notably selects old “forgotten casks,” whose strength has naturally decreased during a very long cellar stay. Their combination with other old armagnacs naturally reaches 42%, without adding water to adjust the alcohol level. Bottling is done without reduction, coloring, or filtration to preserve the matter and nuances unique to the blend.
The color presents a deep amber register, streaked with copper and mahogany reflections. The nose gradually opens to candied plum, dried fig, and orange peel, accompanied by hints of wax, walnut, and blond tobacco. With aeration, darker tones of cocoa, sweet licorice, cinnamon, and old wood appear, without the aging masking the fruit. The palate has the expected breadth of a long-matured armagnac, but the natural 42% strength keeps it supple and poised. Stewed fruits mingle with roasted almond, coffee, brown spices, and a delicate rancio touch, in a texture both enveloping and precise. The finish stretches on walnut, dried citrus, and polished wood, with a steady warmth rather than a sensation of power. A few minutes in the glass allow it to gain detail; it will accompany an apple croustade, a dark chocolate dessert, prunes in red wine, or an aged Comté, but also deserves to be enjoyed alone at the end of a meal.
