Brandy Banter

@BlueNote I think I would too, but I am usually always in the mood for Miles.

All this banter has me pouring a Delord 1980.

@fiddich1980

Have you tried more currently bottles of Delord to compare? I have seen many Delord bottlings in stores near me, but haven't purchased any. By the looks of the level of armagnac left in the bottle, it appears you enjoy it.

@ajjarrett The 1980 had a great nose, fresh, yet mature, and brighter unami palate(soya and cola), lacking the mushroom, or forest floor. It flirts on the oaky margin without being too overly oaky.

I do intend to do a Delord comparison at some point but, in a Zoom group format, using the sample box.(to the right)

@fiddich1980 I look forward to hearing how the Delord Zoom Group goes, and the impressions people have of them three bottles.

Greetings, Brandy Banter Readers,

I just opened the Darroze Domaine de Monturon, 17yo at 50%abv. The richness of the nose is what I have come to associate with the vintage and single domaine armagnacs. It is extremely inviting, and is a 'nose' that I would consider worth nosing a long time before taking the first sip. The aroma is extremely rich and complex that the 50% abv doesn't burn my nose hairs, which is unfortunate because that means I need to use the trimmer. HA! Dan Akroyd in "The Great Outdoors" comes to mind. I look forward to doing a tasting with another person, or other people, who are as interested in this as I am. To get a more full appreciation of a quality dram, for me, best to be a shared experience. Nevertheless, I will endure having my first pour alone.

@ajjarrett to make your drink less 'alone' (albeit 9 hours later) I will tell you a little Dan Akroyd story. My late wife was a luxury hotel concierge for 33 years in Washington DC. One night near midnight and the end of her shift she got a phone call at her desk: "Dan Akroyd here! I need directions to get to the hotel." His GPS had him screwed up on the screwy DC roads. She steered him in from where he was lost. He always traveled cross-country in a very large vehicle, an Armada, if I remember correctly, because he dreaded flying in planes.

Julie had many memorable concierge stories with the many celebrities and political dignitaries with whom she dealt. She frequently got asked to tell some of them at dinners and parties. She didn't like to keep track of them so she used me as her "hard drive" to remind her of some of her best ones when the requests came in. In the case of Dan Akroyd his wife had brought along to the hotel her female dog who happened to be in heat. The request that Julie carried out for Mrs. Akroyd was to find a canine sanitary napkin for her dog. She did.

@Victor Now that is a story to remember. You, the human HD, and your wife must have amazing stories to tell over a few drams. I think I could just sit back and listen.

@ajjarrett my favourite political story from my wife's experience involved the two visits to DC that the Soviets made while Reagan was in office. Scores of KGB agents roaming the halls of her hotel with Uzis under their coats, scores of FBI agents similarly armed, snipers on the rooftops. Gorbachev had supposedly been staying during these stays at the Soviet embassy. Julie found out TWO YEARS after the fact that Gorbachev had actually stayed at her hotel the whole time and been transported in and out through blacked out limos working from the basements through the service elevators.

The nicest, most rewarding moment for my wife? Julie had the day off on 9-11-2001, but had volunteered to go into town to arrange transportation from DC to NYC for Carol Burnett. She had a hard time doing it, but was able to get Miss Burnett onto a train safely to New York. About 12 years later when Carol Burnett was in the hotel the GM had arranged a formal salute to her as she departed with 50+ employees and guests lined up in the lobby out of respect for her to cheer her. As Miss Burnett walked down the line she bypassed the GM without stopping to talk to him, walked directly over to Julie's desk, and quietly spoke to Julie for a couple of minutes while the 50+ people looked on. What she said to my wife was, "YOU are the reason I come to this hotel."

@Victor These stories truly need to be recorded down and documented.

You can't go wrong when Eunice from Mamas Family stops for a chat.

@ajjarrett OK, just one more story for now, since you brought up comedy. One of Julie's favourite performers was Jonathan Winters. He showed up one night while staying at her hotel, took a small object out of his pocket, and showed it to Julie. "Do you know what THAT is?" he asked. "That's a BUCKEYE!", she very proudly said. He was surprised that she knew. He was from Ohio, the Buckeye state, but Julie's parents were from Ohio, so she had some acquaintance with the little nuts. He then proceeded to do a 10 minute comedy monologue just for her. Later that evening, after Mr. Winters returned to the hotel from a show a woman in the lobby recognized him and was excited to speak to him. He asked her if she knew what it was that he was holding in his hand. She stammered and tried and tried, but didn't know what it was. He then turned to Julie and told the woman, "SHE knows what it is!" To which Julie chimed in, "It's a Buckeye!" Julie's parting compliment to Jonathan Winters was, "You're the best thing that ever came out of Ohio!"

@Victor

Jonathan Winters. I wonder if Mork was around. HA! Didn't he play a baby/child popping out of an egg just like Mork did? hahah As I said, these stories need to be recorded down. At least we have a few recorded here on Connosr. Thanks for sharing.

@ajjarrett I am delighted that you have enjoyed the stories!

Yes, Jonathan Winters inspired Robin Williams and a number of others.

@Victor I suspect I am not the only one.

@Victor Jonathan Winters (aka Maynard Tetlinger, Maudie Frickert etc.) one of the funniest human beings that ever lived

Well, I just poured myself another glass from the Darroze 2004 vintage, Domaine de Monturon. As I am enjoying this, I come to realize I really need to read up on ugni blanc, baco, folle blanche and colombard varieties. From the three bottlings from the Darroze Unique Collection that I have opened, this is the only on that is made from one grape variety, which happens to be baco. The other bottle I have that is made from 100% ugni blanc is the 1975 vintage, which I won't open until my birthday. I cannot pick out/identify what I am getting specifically, but I am getting distinct differences from this than the 1992 and 2000 vintages, which both have a mixture of all four grape varieties mentioned above. I think I need to make a trip to the Armagnac regions.

@ajjarrett You have convinced me that I need to save some of Fred's spirit for you. This is the brandy that I tasted in Xinjiang and then my brother in law brought me a bottle (unlabelled) when he moved back to Canada. I think you would appreciate it, as many who have tried it have.

@Nozinan That is most generous of you. Thank you. Or maybe I should write, 谢谢。When I lived in China, I know this is a bit of a tangent, most of the raisins I enjoyed the most came from Xinjiang.

@ajjarrett, there is no mistaking Baco. It is to Armagnac as Rye is to Whisky. You'll know when you get there, either physically or metaphorically.

@paddockjudge I must admit, I am not very fond of rye; however, I am enjoying this armagnac made from 100% baco immensely.

@ajjarrett I too used to be able to say I was not fond of rye. Then I had good quality high proof Canadian rye...

@Nozinan I will do my best to get around to trying a quality rye whisk(e)y. At the moment, I am diving in the deep end of an armagnac pool. Well, maybe not the deep end, I still have enough money for instant noodles.

@ajjarrett I recommend the ones that have potato noodles... more chewy. But a bit spicy.

@Nozinan I must stop by the Asian market and stock up. In the mean time three bottles arrived the other day, and yes, I am stocking up on these. I am also happy to say that the 2004 vintage was marked down, so I did order more. They should be here Friday. Do I have a drinking problem, yes, I am not drinking enough to keep up.

@ajjarrett, it is nice to see your growing appreciation for Armagnac. The comparison to Rye was metaphorical, but should you purchase a bottle of Rye, I strongly suggest you get one of the best, Pikesville Straight Rye 6 YO 55% abv.

@paddockjudge

I have heard about Pikesville. Thank you for the recommendation. I am sorry, but I don't speak metaphorical, but I do speak a little Japanese and Chinese. ^_^

It is 72 F/ 22 C here right now, a harbinger of springtime to come. I am drinking some Catoctin Creek Pearousia Pear Brandy, 40% ABV, NAS. It is quite delicious. This was a product which was very well received when this batch was released about 10 years ago. This bottle currently has a wonderful sweet-dry balance.

@Victor I am not sure what I want more, a sample of the peach brandy of the temperatures you are experiencing. Here in Denver, Colorado it is 12°F/-11°C, at 2:40pm. You don't even want to know how cold it was when I was clearing the snow off the driveway and cars at 7:30am. I can tell you, I was wearing a mask and not because of COVID.

Well, today is Friday (at least it is when I place this post and upload the photos below) and if you saw one my earlier posts, I mentioned that I had ordered some more armagnac that were supposed to arrive today. And, they did. In addition to my the extra bottles of the Darroze Domaine de Monturon (which was reduced in price, yay!) I purchased two bottles of the Darroze Château de Lahitte, 1982 vintage, 39yo and 48% abv.. I will follow the photo of the bottles with a photo of the informational card for the Darroze Château de Lahitte. I am truly looking forward to getting into it because I haven't been disappointed with any of the bottles from the 'Unique Collection'. The sad news is, I should have bought more than two bottles. Several days after I had made my purchased, and while I was waiting for them to be delivered so that I could try before I buy more, it was removed and will no longer be available.

And no, I don't think it was my purchase that might them remove it from the website. "Wink wink, know what I mean?"

Here is the informational card for the Darroze Château de Lahitte, 1982 Vintage, 39yo 48% abv. What strikes me as 'interesting' is the 67% ugni blanc and 33% colombard. I do appreciate this level of information, and what else is provided.