L'Encantada Armagnac Domaine Lahitte 2017

When PM picks casks, we follow one basic rule: does it taste really good? If it does, we don't care if there's not a prestigious estate name attached to it nor if the age statement is a single digit. We look for quality – everything else is secondary.

When well-distilled and carefully aged, a spirit does not need to be decades old to taste good. Are there some distillates that require a long slumber in oak to reach their full potential? Absolutely, but while Armagnac is full of those late bloomers, there are also a number of examples of barrels that absolutely sing at a much younger age. This is one such example.

Domaine Lahitte has been producing Armagnac off and on for 20 years, occasionally selling barrels to negociants while primarily focusing on their wine production. This particular barrel, however, showcases L'Encantada's prowess as Maitre de Chai – cellarmaster.

After initially aging in an old barrel, L'Encantada transferred this Armagnac into new, 300 liter barrels made of oak from the Forest de Reims in Champagne. After this it was again transferred to a cask that previously held a 1994 vintage from the legendary Domaine Lous Pibous where it aged for another 18 months before bottling for a total of five years of age.

This single cask is a testament both to L'Encantada's ability to source exceptional spirits as well as their excellence in elevating these spirits through careful maturation in their cellars. No longer simply "cask hunters", L'Encantada is actively involved in the élevage of their spirits via meticulous barrel management and aging.