Domaine Laoué 1985: 35 years of patience in Bas-Armagnac
Domaine Laoué 1985 joins our Silent Domains collection, dedicated to Armagnacs from estates that no longer distil. This vintage rested for 35 years in a damp cellar before being bottled at cask strength, at 48.6% ABV, with no reduction and no chill filtration.
An exceptional vintage Armagnac, rare and deep, telling the story of the know-how of a Gascon estate that has now fallen silent.
Domaine de Laoué, an estate in Bas-Armagnac
Domaine de Laoué is located in Bas-Armagnac, the most renowned of the three Armagnac appellations, known for its tawny sands that produce fine, fruity and elegant brandies.
The estate grew Baco, Colombard and Ugni Blanc in particular, producing brandies intended for long traditional ageing. Baco brings roundness and ripe fruit notes, Colombard freshness, and Ugni Blanc finesse.
Ageing in a damp cellar encourages a slow and harmonious evolution: the alcohol becomes rounder, the wood melts in and the aromas gain complexity. After 35 years, this 1985 vintage shows lovely concentration and a first touch of rancio.
Domaine Laoué 1985 tasting notes
Nose: generous and elegant, with ripe and candied fruit, notes of plum, raisin and apricot. Vanilla, nuts and lightly toasted oak complete the picture.
Palate: full and round, with lovely concentration. Dried fruit, plum, almond and hazelnut come through, along with sweet spices, caramel and well-integrated oak notes.
Finish: long and warming, with dried fruit, spices, toasted oak and a light touch of rancio.
How to enjoy this old Armagnac?
Serve Domaine Laoué 1985 at room temperature in a tulip glass. Take your time: after a few minutes of aeration, the candied fruit and rancio notes fully reveal themselves. The empty glass keeps its aromas for a long time.
It is ideal as a digestif, with a prune dessert, an aged hard cheese or dark chocolate.
Why choose a cask-strength Armagnac?
A cask-strength Armagnac is bottled straight from the barrel, with no water added to lower its strength. It therefore keeps all the aromatic intensity gained over its years of ageing. It is the most faithful way to discover the work of an estate and the influence of its cellar.
Domaine Laoué 1985 is a fine example: after 35 years in cask, its strength has naturally dropped to 48.6% ABV. It offers a round, silky texture with no harshness at all. No caramel colouring or oak additives have been used: its colour and aromas come solely from the time spent in oak casks.
These bottles come from a single cask, in very limited quantities. Once sold out, this vintage will no longer be available: a chance to own a unique piece of Bas-Armagnac history.
The Silent Domains collection
With The Silent Domains, L’Encantada reveals estates that have now fallen silent, whose last brandies are still resting in Gascon cellars. Each bottle is numbered and hand-labelled with the estate name, grape varieties, cask number and vintage.
A rare gift to celebrate a birth year or a wedding anniversary, or to enrich a cellar. Also discover our other
vintage Armagnacs and all
our estates.
To learn more about the Bas-Armagnac appellation, visit the website of the
Bureau National Interprofessionnel de l’Armagnac.
Domaine Laoué 1985 #32 – Bas-Armagnac – 35 years in a damp cellar – 48.6% ABV – 50 cl.
