Baron Gaston Legrand 1960 Vintage Appellation Bas Armagnac Controlee 40%

One summer in Gascony looks much like the next, and suddenly sixty of them have gone by. The cask holding the 1960 vintage stood in the same spot the whole way through, and every winter took a little more of the sharpness away.

The expert's description

Baron Gaston Legrand 1960 Vintage Appellation Bas Armagnac Controlee 40% is a Vintage Bas Armagnac from Gascony in south-west France, single distilled on an alambic armagnacais, matured in black oak casks and bottled at 40%.

Baron Gaston Legrand is released by Lhéraud, a French house going back to 1680, and the series holds nothing but single vintages from Bas Armagnac. The 1960 was made from Ugni Blanc, Folle Blanche and Colombard.

The spirit was run once through an alambic armagnacais. That single distillation at low strength is the technical dividing line between Armagnac and Cognac, and it is why the grape can still be tasted in a spirit of this age.

Maturation takes place in black oak casks of 700 to 1200 litres, first in new wood for tannins and dry notes, later in older casks that give up almost nothing more. It stays that way until bottling. A spare stopper and a canvas bag come in the wooden case.

Tasting notes

Nose

Fresh and bright for an Armagnac of this age. Peach and lime on top, a floral tone underneath, and vanilla with a hint of hazelnut behind that.

Palate

Honey and ripe peach, carried by a light nutty tone. Almond and plum come in halfway through, and the pepper keeps a low profile while holding everything dry at the close.

Finish

Clean and floral. The fruit hangs on for a long time, the wood only reports in at the end, and there is no bitterness anywhere.

Specifications

Name: Baron Gaston Legrand 1960 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
Distillation method: Single distilled on an alambic armagnacais
Distilled: 1960
Edition: Baron Gaston Legrand Vintage 1960

Flavour profile

Fruity · Fresh · Floral · Honey · Smooth

Investment potential

Medium. The age, and the fact that the vintage stands alone with no blending of any kind, makes the bottle interesting to anyone collecting vintage-dated spirits.

Did you know?

Ugni Blanc, the main grape behind this vintage and behind most Cognac as well, is the same variety Italians call Trebbiano. It is fairly anonymous as a wine, but its high acidity and low alcohol make it ideal for distillation.

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Frequently asked questions about Baron Gaston Legrand 1960 Vintage Appellation Bas Armagnac Controlee 40%

What does Vintage mean on an Armagnac?

That everything in the bottle comes from one single harvest. The year is the year the grapes were picked and distilled, and no spirit from other years has been added. Armagnac is the French spirit where that tradition runs strongest. Vintage bottlings do turn up among Cognac Houses and Distilleries as well, but they are the exception rather than the rule.

Is a 1960 vintage interesting for a collector?

The potential is rated Medium. Single vintages from Bas Armagnac from the early 1960s grow fewer year by year, and by definition no more can be made. The age and the reputation of the appellation are what carry the interest.

How should the bottle be stored?

Upright, dark and cool. Spirits must never lie down, because alcohol attacks the stopper over time. Avoid direct sunlight and large swings in temperature and both stopper and contents will last for many years.

How much evaporates along the way?

A good deal. The French call it la part des anges, the angels' share, and across decades in wood a cask can lose a substantial part of its contents. It is one of the reasons very old vintages exist only in small quantities.

Should you add ice or water?

No. At 40% it is already balanced, and ice shuts the nose down and flattens the fruit. If you really want to soften it, a couple of drops of water will do, but most people drink it as it is.

What characterises the Baron Gaston Legrand series?

That it consists solely of single vintages from Bas Armagnac, bottled by Lhéraud. Every label carries its own year, and the style aims at finesse and fruit rather than weight and wood.