CHÂTEAU DE LAUBADE BAS-ARMAGNAC 1995

Score: 18/23 This evaluation marks the midway point in my count of drinks leading up to my 2000th review. I began with number 1991 and will progress to 1999 prior to celebrating with a special pour for number 2000. Nose: Pungent with a somewhat vegetal fruitiness. I detect clear raisin notes. Plump raisins, sugared. Hints of prune and quince are also present. The spices hint at barrel influence, but the fruit is the primary focus. It's enjoyable and sweet, but not exceptionally complex. It also surprisingly lacks significant wood given its age. Palate: This offers a more unified experience than the nose. Barrel notes emerge with tart, bitter tannins suggestive of French oak, followed by sweet, floral, candied fruit. Spices appear early, along with traces of wood polish, but these recede as the palate develops. The spices are bitter and peppery. I taste the raisins and quince from the nose in the fruit, particularly. The fruit nicely balances the wood at the finish. The alcohol is slightly more apparent than I prefer, manifesting as a subtle oily bitterness. Finish: Floral fruitiness, with a gentle bitter woodiness that complements but doesn't overwhelm. I desire more complexity in the wood character, but it's acceptable. - Final Thoughts - This is a very pleasant dram, easy to drink and possessing notable depth. This is certainly a step up from Château De Laubade 1988 (/23), though the distinction isn't vast. Rémy Martin 1738 is sweeter and richer, but doesn't seem as aged as this. The Rémy is more accessible, but that alone doesn't make it superior. Dudognon Vielle Reserve (16/23) presents more alcohol and a younger profile. It has a pleasant oily, nutty, apricot richness, but I lean towards favoring this one. Therefore, I'm assigning it a 17. Similar to Château De Laubade 1988, I perceive some extra añejo tequila-like qualities in comparison to the cognacs, but they are subtle and I appreciate them. As a comparison, I sampled A De Fussigny XO (18/23). The A De Fussigny offers more fruity sweetness, with comparable fullness and nuance. I slightly prefer the A De Fussigny, so I'm settling on a 17 for this. Revisiting for a final assessment, I note a pronounced richness of polished wood, chocolate, and raisins. Maturity and complexity are present alongside these flavors, but they dominate. It's indulgent and delightful. It still surpasses Château De Laubade 1988. It's quite comparable to A De Fussigny XO, sharing a similar richness but featuring a more distinguished flavor profile. I could go either way between them. Delord 25 seems perhaps less mature (ironically, despite being a year older), but offers superior chocolate and leather notes, while this one lacks some distinctiveness. I don't believe this quite matches the Delord, but it's very close to A De Fussigny and superior to Château De Laubade 1988. It falls between a high 17 and a low 18. The Delord is definitely a high 18. I suspect I may have even underrated the Delord, so I'm awarding this an 18.

Nose - fermented grape, apricot, toffee, vanilla, fig, orange, plum, coffee, ginger, jalapeño, anise, earthy floral notes, almond, mint, clay, brown sugar, nutmeg, clove, milk chocolate, and a mild to moderate ethanol sting. Taste - tart grape, apricot, pineapple skin, orange, lemon pith, ginger, white pepper, clove, nutmeg, caramel, mint, anise, tannic oak, vanilla, fig, plum, chocolate, a mild to moderate alcohol bite, finishing medium length with dark fruit, bitter citrus, spicy pepper, and tannic oak flavors. This is three years older than the 1998 vintage I reviewed yesterday, making it about 24 years old. Immediately, the aroma is richer and more intriguing than its younger siblings. The grape and dried dark fruit scents are very prominent, and there's an earthy, herbal quality I can't quite place. While not unpleasant, it's starting to lean that way. The palate is deeply fruity with some bitter, peppery citrus and drying oak, along with hints of tropical fruit and baking spices. I prefer this to the 1998 and 2000 vintages, but it's not outstanding. It shows more complexity in both the aroma and palate, and the finish is slightly longer and spicier too. The mouthfeel is still somewhat thin, making me wish it wasn't diluted to 40%. Despite its flaws, this is a good Armagnac and warrants the higher rating compared to the others. A big thank you to a friend for the generous sample!

'22: I savor a half ounce of this annually on my birthday, having been born in '95. The aroma is grape, prune, oak, and a subtle hint of cinnamon. The palate offers more grape and oak, smooth butterscotch, black pepper, and dry red wine. It's a cherished tradition, and I'm grateful for this bottle as a birthday present. '23: The aroma brings more marshmallow, but is otherwise similar. The palate is largely unchanged. Cheers to turning 28 and having experienced so many fantastic drinks. '24: Consistently great each year, I appreciate the extended finish. Year 29 approaching!

Version from 1994, but the distiller is missing.