Laubade 1986 (Baco-Ugni Blanc) Bas-Armagnac 750ml

Château de Laubade was built in 1870 and stands today as one of the most respected estates in the Bas-Armagnac, occupying 260 acres of single vineyard in Sorbets d'Armagnac, an area regarded as the heart of the appellation. The Lesgourgues family has owned and run the property since 1974, with third-generation siblings Arnaud and Denis carrying the estate forward since 1998. Laubade is notable for controlling its entire production from vineyard to bottle, farming all of its own grapes and holding a cellar library that spans more than eighty vintages, with the oldest dating back to 1888.

This 1986 vintage is composed entirely of grapes from that single harvest, a blend led by Baco and Ugni Blanc grown in the estate's sandy Bas-Armagnac soils. The spirit was single distilled in a traditional continuous still to preserve texture and aromatic detail, then aged for decades in Gascon oak casks crafted specifically for the property, developing its color and complexity slowly over time.

The result is a coppery amber Armagnac marked by cinnamon, potpourri, and worn leather on the nose, moving into dried fruitcake and spice on the palate, with orange marmalade and toasted nuts carrying through a long, gently oxidative finish. It suits quiet, reflective sipping on its own.