Laberdolive Domaine de Jaurrey 1954...

Laberdolive Domaine de Jaurrey 1954 (44.0%): Finally I am about to pour the last sample of our "Six different vintages of Laberdolive" series and most probably today is the last Laberdolive Sunday for some time... But the finale is big everyone..! It is the 1954 vintage... Kinda unreal when you think about it, isn't it..? This Armagnac is distilled just nine years after the WWII ended... Elizabeth II was the Queen of the UK only for a year and a young singer from Mississippi named Elvis Aron Presley was enjoying his very first record release "That's All Right". Ok, before getting too carried away about the idea tasting a piece of history I have to admit that there is a big chance that the liquid inside the bottle is oxidized but I am still excited that in a few minutes I will sip a spirit distilled 66 years ago no matter what. Quite mind blowing...

Color: Light amber (?), fortified white wine color with a ring of minuscule teardrops around the glass. Unexpectedly and very surprisingly light colored for a spirit casked 66 years ago. It probably got transferred to neutral oak casks after some point.

Nose: Damp cotton sheets, cooked mushrooms and beef bourguignon. Wet basement carpet, the entire sneaker rack of a Los Angeles Salvation Army store and aged balsamic vinegar. Unsweetened grape molasses, Creme de Cassis and blueberry juice. I decided to walk away and allow it to air for a while. After fifteen minutes: Rubber mats, coal gas and dried green herbs; thyme, chervil and sage. A few drops of water clears some of the moldy and damp aromas. It's dry and dusty now. Old newspapers, hardwood furniture and worn out leather upholstery.

Palate: It's in a pretty good condition... Yes, there is some oxidation and a good amount of old bottle effect but I think we are ok here: Balsamic reduction, sugar molasses and cinnamon. Old Caribbean rum, old PX sherry and grape soda. Adding water had almost the same drying effect on the palate like it did on the nose. It minimized the old bottle effect but we also lost some very interesting notes there. Wool scarves, raisins and pomace. 

Finish: Medium-long with lavender, fresh thyme and grape molasses.

Overall: Well, that happened... I really wanted it to last forever but it's all gone now. God knows when I will have another chance to sit down and take my time while tasting and enjoying a spirit that old. It was a very strange feeling... I am glad that the spirit wasn't in bad shape and was well preserved.

Price: N/A