Darroze 1964 Armagnac - 700 ml

Darroze 1964 Armagnac (part of Les Grands Assemblages or the Unique Collection) is a prestigious vintage brandy curated and bottled by Maison Francis Darroze in Roquefort, Landes, in the heart of Bas-Armagnac, France. Founded by Francis Darroze and now led by his son Marc Darroze, the house is globally revered as one of the foremost independent négociants and cellar masters in Gascony. Rather than blending vintages across multiple decades, Darroze travels to small, family-owned estates throughout Bas-Armagnac to source single-harvest brandies—bottling them without chill filtration, caramel coloring, or artificial additives to preserve the unadulterated character of the 1964 vintage.

Spirit Description

Distilled in the autumn/winter following the 1964 harvest in traditional continuous column alambic armagnacais stills, this spirit is crafted predominantly from classic Bas-Armagnac grape varieties; principally Baco 22A, Ugni Blanc, Folle Blanche, and Colombard, grown in the prized iron-rich tawny sands (sables fauves) of the region. Following distillation, the brandy aged for over four to five decades in local Gascon black oak casks (Monlezun oak). Because Darroze bottles single-estate and single-vintage selections brut de fût (cask strength) or lightly reduced only at the final stage, a 1964 Darroze Armagnac displays extraordinary depth, rancio complexity, and antique wood integration.

• Colour: Deep burnished mahogany with antique amber and copper highlights.

• Aroma: Intensely complex, aromatic, and evolved. Opens with rich rancio notes of roasted walnuts, forest floor, and antique polished wood, layered with dried prunes, candied orange peel, dark chocolate, leather, and sweet pipe tobacco.

• Palate: Full-bodied, velvety, and multi-dimensional on the entry. Lush flavors of baked figs, caramelized dark fruit, and wildflower honey merge seamlessly with toasted hazelnuts, bitter cocoa, espresso, nutmeg, and seasoned Gascon oak tannins.

• Body: Full-bodied with a luxurious, unctuous, and mouth-coating viscosity.

• Finish: Exceptionally long, warm, and lingering, trailing off with persistent notes of dried fruit compote, dark cacao, old leather, clove spice, and gentle oak warmth.

• ABV: Typically bottled at natural cask strength between 44% and 50% ABV (88 to 100 Proof), depending on the specific estate bottling and bottling date.