Description
Darroze 12YO Armagnac 700ml is a blended Bas-Armagnac from Les Grands Assemblages range by Darroze, a family Armagnac house based in Roquefort in the Landes, south-west France. It is a blend of eaux-de-vie from several small Bas-Armagnac estates, with the age statement referring to the youngest spirit in the blend, so everything in the bottle has spent at least 12 years in oak. It is bottled at 43% ABV.
Buy Darroze 12YO Armagnac Online in NZ
The Darroze story began at the table. Jean Darroze ran a Michelin-starred restaurant in Villeneuve-de-Marsan and, with his son Francis, a sommelier, began seeking out outstanding Armagnacs made by small family estates. Francis went on to set up the cellar that became the business, and his son Marc Darroze, a trained oenologist who joined in 1996, now leads the house.
Darroze works with around 30 small Bas-Armagnac estates, buying their spirit and ageing each one separately in its cellars, often bottling them under the estate’s own name and vintage. Les Grands Assemblages is the other side of the house: blends of these estate spirits, put together by Marc Darroze to show a consistent style at a stated age.
Bas-Armagnac is the westernmost and most highly regarded of Armagnac’s three areas, known for its sandy soils. Armagnac is usually distilled once in a column still, which keeps more fruit and texture in the spirit than double distillation, and then aged in oak.
Serve it neat in a tulip glass at room temperature and give it a few minutes to open up, or add a drop of water. It pairs well with prunes, walnuts, dark chocolate, foie gras or a hard aged cheese.
- Blended Bas-Armagnac from Darroze, Gascony
- Youngest eau-de-vie aged at least 12 years
- Bottled at 43% ABV
Expect dried fruit, vanilla and a light touch of spice on the nose. The palate is supple and rounded, with dried fruit and oak, finishing warm and gently spicy.
A rewarding bottle for brandy lovers ready to explore Armagnac, and a thoughtful gift for anyone who enjoys a slow after-dinner pour.
