Baron Gaston Legrand 1921 Vintage Appellation Bas Armagnac Controlee 40%

It is 1921, and Gascony is slowly finding its rhythm again after the war. The vines carry, the harvest comes in, and a cask is rolled into a cool cellar. After that, nothing happens except time. Decades of it, in silence, while the world outside changes face more than once.

The expert's description

Baron Gaston Legrand 1921 Vintage Appellation Bas Armagnac Controlee 40% is a Vintage Bas Armagnac from Gascony, single distilled on an alambic armagnacais, matured in black oak casks and bottled at 40%.

Baron Gaston Legrand is a range of vintage Armagnac owned and bottled by the house of Lhéraud. Lhéraud has worked with French spirit since 1680, and the range covers a wide sweep of vintages from Bas Armagnac, the westernmost part of the appellation, where the soil is sandy and the spirits are held to be the finest in the region.

Nothing is blended across years here. Everything in the bottle comes from the 1921 harvest. The grapes are Ugni Blanc, Folle Blanche and Colombard, distilled once on an alambic armagnacais, the traditional Armagnac column. Cognac is double distilled in a pot still; Armagnac is not, and that is exactly why the spirit leaves the column carrying more of the grape's own weight.

From the column the spirit went into new black oak casks of between 700 and 1,200 litres. That is where it drew its tannins and its dry timber notes. Later it was moved into older casks, where the wood gives away far less and maturation turns calm and even. The longest stretch of its life was spent there, right up to bottling at 40%.

The label carries the guarantee of the vintage, and the bottle arrives in a wooden case with a canvas bag and a spare stopper.

Tasting notes

Nose

Dark and dry from the first moment. Walnut shell and dried figs sit on top, with old leather and a trace of tobacco leaf beneath them. A plum sweetness pushes through, candied rather than fresh, and right out at the edge there is a fine bitterness of orange peel.

Palate

Soft, almost oily. Not a single sharp edge survives after this many years in wood. Dried fruit and dark nougat carry the palate, and the oak tastes of old furniture rather than sawdust. Halfway through, pepper steps in and keeps the whole thing from sliding into sweetness.

Finish

Very long and dry. Nut and cedar hang on, along with a faint spiced warmth at the back of the throat. The orange peel bitterness is the last thing to let go.

Specifications

Name: Baron Gaston Legrand 1921 Vintage Appellation Bas Armagnac Controlee 40%
Bottler: Lhéraud
Region/Country: Bas Armagnac, Gascony, France
Type: Vintage Bas Armagnac
ABV: 40%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Black oak casks of 700-1200 litres, new casks first and older casks afterwards
Distillation method: Single distilled on an alambic armagnacais
Distilled: 1921

Flavour profile

Dried fruit · Rancio · Nutty · Spiced · Woody

Investment potential

High. A 1921 vintage can never be made again, and every bottle opened disappears from a stock that only shrinks. The age, the Bas Armagnac appellation and the vintage guarantee on the label make this bottle very hard to replace with anything else.

Did you know?

Armagnac is the oldest documented distillate in France. As early as the 1300s the brandy of Gascony was written about in detail, complete with a long list of its supposed healing powers, centuries before anyone started distilling in Cognac.

See our full range of Armagnac

Frequently asked questions about Baron Gaston Legrand 1921 Vintage Appellation Bas Armagnac Controlee 40%

Is a 1921 Armagnac worth investing in?

Yes, the potential is high. The vintage is closed for good and nothing more will ever be added to it. Bas Armagnac is the most sought-after part of the appellation, and bottles carrying a pre-war vintage grow steadily harder to find as they are drunk.

How old is an Armagnac from 1921?

It was distilled from grapes harvested in 1921 and lay in cask from then on. Armagnac stops developing once it is bottled, so its age is the span from harvest to the day the house chose to empty the cask. That is well over half a century in wood, and in all likelihood considerably more.

What is the difference between Armagnac and Cognac?

Distillation is the key difference. Armagnac is distilled once on a column, while the Cognac Houses and Distilleries double distil in a pot still. Armagnac therefore leaves the still with more body and more grape character. On top of that, the Armagnac region is far smaller than Cognac and has always favoured single vintages over blends.

How should an old Armagnac be served?

At room temperature and without ice. Cold shuts the aromatics down, and the aromatics are where decades in cask have put all the value. Pour a small measure, let the glass stand for five minutes, and drink it slowly after a meal.

How should the bottle be stored?

Upright, dark and cool. High-strength spirit must never lie on its side, because the alcohol breaks the cork down over time. The wooden case keeps light off the glass, and a spare stopper is included for the day the original one tires after opening.

What does Bas Armagnac on the label mean?

It is the western sub-region of Armagnac and the most highly regarded of the three. The soil there is fine sand, which yields a softer, more fruit-driven spirit than the chalk and clay further east. Appellation Controlee means the origin is checked and certified.