Baron Gaston Legrand 1942 Vintage Appellation Bas Armagnac Controlee 40%

Gascogne is the country of goose fat, maize fields and long lunches. It is also home to the oldest distilled spirit in France, and this bottle carries a harvest from 1942. The region is small, and vintages like this one are never made over again.

The expert's description

Baron Gaston Legrand 1942 Vintage Appellation Bas Armagnac Controlee 40% is a Vintage Bas Armagnac from the 1942 harvest, single distilled in an alambic armagnacais, matured in black oak casks and bottled at 40%.

The Armagnac region lies in Gascogne in south-west France and splits into three parts. Bas Armagnac is the westernmost and the most respected, and it is the source of the grapes behind this bottle: Ugni Blanc, Folle Blanche and Colombard.

The wine is distilled once on the alambic armagnacais. Cognac is made in pot stills and run twice, and that is the main difference between the two French brandies. Single distillation leaves more of the grape in the spirit.

Maturation takes place in black oak casks of between 700 and 1200 litres. New casks first, supplying tannin and dry timber notes, then older casks where development turns calm and harmonious. That final stage runs all the way to bottling.

The range is owned and bottled by Lhéraud, a French house founded in 1680. The bottle holds one single harvest with nothing from other years blended in, and the label guarantees the vintage. It arrives in a wooden box with a spare stopper and a canvas bag.

Tasting notes

Nose

Plum and candied lemon, with roasted nuts behind. The wood is present but steps back and lets the fruit go first. A trace of vanilla and something close to dried apricot.

Palate

Soft and round. Dried fruit and sweet spice first, then nuts and a lightly caramelised tone. The oak arrives late and draws a dry frame around the whole thing.

Finish

Long and mild. The fruit withdraws slowly, the spice hangs on, and a dry nutty tone is left standing at the end.

Specifications

Name: Baron Gaston Legrand 1942 Vintage Appellation Bas Armagnac Controlee 40%
Bottler: Lhéraud
Region/Country: Bas Armagnac, Gascogne, France
Type: Vintage Bas Armagnac
ABV: 40%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Black oak casks of 700-1200 litres
Distillation method: Single distilled in an alambic armagnacais
Distilled: 1942
Edition: Vintage 1942

Flavour profile

Plum · Candied citrus · Nuts · Sweet spice · Round

Investment potential

High. Bas Armagnac is a small region, and no more 1942 will be produced. The long maturation in oak casks and the fact that each bottle holds one single harvest make the vintage hard to replace.

Did you know?

The Armagnac region covers only about a fifth of the area of Cognac, yet wine has been distilled into spirit in this corner of south-west France since the 1500s. That makes Armagnac older than its more famous neighbour to the north.

See our full range of Armagnac

Frequently asked questions about Baron Gaston Legrand 1942 Vintage Appellation Bas Armagnac Controlee 40%

What sets Bas Armagnac apart from the other parts of the region?

The sandy soil. Bas Armagnac lies furthest west, and its sand yields finer, more floral spirit than the clay soils further east. That is why the most respected vintages have traditionally come from here.

Is the 1942 vintage worth investing in?

The investment potential is rated high. The vintage is finite and cannot be recreated, Bas Armagnac is a small region, and old bottles disappear as they are opened. The very long spell in oak casks is the final argument.

Why is Armagnac distilled only once?

Because both the tradition and the equipment are built for it. The alambic armagnacais runs continuously and at a lower strength than the pot still that is standard at the Cognac Houses and Distilleries, so more of the grape character carries across. The result is a fuller spirit, which in return needs many years in cask to settle.

What is the best way to pour an old bottle?

Open it gently, since old corks can be brittle, and pour a small measure at a time. Let the glass stand for a couple of minutes before drinking, so the dried fruit notes have room to emerge. There is no need to decant.

What do you serve it with after a meal?

It stands best on its own as a digestif, perhaps with a handful of walnuts or a square of dark chocolate. Coffee works too, as long as it is not too strong. It should not have to compete with anything sweet or acidic.

How can you tell the vintage is genuine?

The label guarantees the vintage and states the bottling date, and Appellation Bas Armagnac Controlee is a protected designation with controls behind it. On top of that, the house behind the range, Lhéraud, has been bottling vintage Armagnac since 1680.