Chateau de Laubade XO Armagnac
(France) - [WE 93]

Notes from the Winemaker:
The nose is uniquely intense and develops fine aromas of orange peel, roasted and grilled bread, completed by notes of cinnamon. Savory roundness and seductive complexity in the mouth.

Will perfectly pair with chocolate cakes and with a flambe pie prepared with the same XO. To be tasted as a digestive with friends or family.

Grapes varieties: Ugni Blanc and Colombard mostly and completed by the Baco and the Folle Blanche grapes.

Ageing: From 15 to 25 years

The Awards:

93 Points - Wine Enthusiast

"Immerse in the comforting, concentrated caramel aroma. The soft palate opens sweet with sarsaparilla, cocoa and vanilla, but dries into cigar wrapper and chamomile. The finish is laced with nutmeg, cardamom, and cayenne spice. Average age of blend is 18 years old, aged in Gascony black oak barrels."

"Here we see Laubade really coming into its own, and while the brandy remains rough around the edges, its nose still just a bit astringent, spicier notes are really starting to emerge, offering aromas of baking spice and incense. Chocolate notes and plenty of pepper give the palate some punch, as the body meanders its way into a more traditional composition of golden raisins, perfume, and heady incense on the lengthy finish. This isn’t an incredibly complex brandy, but its representation of well-aged armagnac is spot-on." - Drinkhacker (Grade: A-)

“An ideal introductory Armagnac for first-timers, with a nuttiness and subtle back-of-the-throat heat that make it the perfect means by which to learn about the spirit. If you’re typically a whiskey drinker, swap out this XO for your nightcap once, and you may never go back.” - Liquor.com