Domaine de Cantau 1986/2026 - 40 y.o. - Armagnac Darroze

Volume: 0.7 litres | Alcohol content: 49.5% | Colouring: No

Special Features:

This vintage Armagnac preserves the individuality of a single estate: in the Unique Collection, Darroze blends neither different estates nor different vintages. The Bas-Armagnac from Domaine de Cantau was distilled in 1986 and bottled in 2026 after forty years of maturation. Its maturation casks were made from oak from the estate. Darroze matures the Armagnacs in this collection in oak casks with a capacity of 420 litres.

The Armagnac is bottled without dilution to a predetermined drinking strength, retaining its natural alcohol content of 49.5%. No sugar, caramel or tannin is added either. It comes in a 0.7-litre bottle with black Darroze cardboard gift packaging.

The Armagnac is suitable for tasting neat at room temperature in a spirits glass.

Tasting Notes:

• Nose: The nose has a pronounced sweet pastry character, with crème brûlée and vanilla. It is rounded and soft, followed by caramel and gingerbread. Ripe apricots and peaches add to the aromas, alongside candied fruit, gentle spices and a subtle woody note.
• Palate: Cloves and pepper stand out boldly on the palate. Walnuts and roasted almonds also shape its distinctive flavour. The mouthfeel is full, rounded and silky. Candied fruit combines with citrus notes, tobacco, nuts and spices.
• Finish: The very long finish is warming. Fruity and spicy impressions linger, accompanied by a light woody note.

Distillery/Bottler:

Domaine de Cantau is situated in Mauléon d’Armagnac in Bas-Armagnac. Guy Beyris is the estate’s producer. Its one-hectare vineyard grows on the region’s characteristic yellow-brown sandy soils, known as Sables fauves. Baco and Ugni Blanc each account for half of the plantings. Dargelos/Gironi carry out the continuous distillation; the spirit leaves the still at 58% alcohol.

Darroze has its roots in Jean Darroze’s restaurant in Villeneuve-de-Marsan. In the late 1960s, his son Francis began visiting small estates in Bas-Armagnac, buying selected spirits, allowing them to mature further and bottling them. Marc Darroze joined the company in 1994 and now runs the house. The cellars in Roquefort and Labastide d’Armagnac are used for the further maturation of the selected Armagnacs. The focus is not on a uniform house style, but on preserving the distinctive origins of each spirit.

Facts: