Randy Brandy will be drinking up another two armagnacs from independent bottlers, L'Encantada, today. Independent Bottlers. There's a phrase that lubricates the wallets of all you Scotch fans. Let me remind you of something. An independent bottler is just like the narrator in Heart's All I Wanna Do Is Make Love to You, they may sound romantic but really they're just out there screwing hitchhikers, trying to get pregnant.
(Don't make me hold forth all day on Nancy Wilson's compositions. They don't call me Randy "Barracuda" Brandy for nothing.)
Randy Brandy don't mind the hustle. I love me my capitalism. It's as American as its founder Adam Smith. Judging by your preferred politicians, I know some of you sensitive types get the vapors when you read about persons, such as corporations, doing everything they can to succeed. Just like me stealing Kravitz's brandy samples.
Unlike "independent" bottlers Signaboring and Garden MacPhart, L'Encantada's hitchhiker seduction is just a side hustle and their cask strength bottlings are priced nicely. Today's hitchhiker is Lous Pibous, whose distilling went seins en l'air in 2005. Contrary to what you've heard, Lous Pibous did not use new oak in a dry warehouse, rather their armagnac matured in a swamp log upon which the owner sang "Rainbow Connection".
That was a frog joke. I have more.
Samples from Monsieurs Florin and Mathieu:
That's supposed to be F4RB. MK gets nothing. |
L'Encantada - Lous Pibous 23 year old 1993, cask 124, 52.5%abv
Nose - Freshly polished jackboots and apfelwein (see what I did there? No? Curt Schilling would). Antique shops and madeira. Almond brittle, coffee and Stizel-Weller. Yes, your Pappy's Pappiez.
Palate - The whole spice cabinet emptied into your mulled wine. Your grandma's attic. Butterscotch, ginger beer, molasses chews and Angostura bitters. Throw in some crisp old Calvados for good measure.
Finish - I'm like The Kool Aid Man at a massage parlor, "OH YYYYYEAH!"
More Notes - I get it, you still drink $100 bourbon because America. Otherwise THIS is what you should be drinking right now. No more excuses. We just need to get Brandy Boy Sku and his cadre of facilitateurs to float more of these casks across the Atlantic. Alas, the French have not won! It is we who have lost. Well, not me. I'll drink Folle blanche yeast shit like this until Rapture.
Also.
L'Encantada - Lous Pibous 24 year old 1993, cask 16, 53.6%abv, my Jesus how much information do you people need?
Nose - Peaches, roses, limoncello. A carpenter's garage, cut wood and greasy tools. Maker's Mark but better. Pedro Ximenez. Then caramel, apple candy and cloves.
Palate - More fruit and spirit in this one. Sweet lemons and small dark grapes. Fresh ginger and a moldy warehouse. Berries floating in a mineral rosé. Some tannins and caramel.
Finish - Sweet and tart. Caramel candies and limes. Sugary grapes.
More Notes - You know what? Go ahead and drink your Pistle Whigs and Forged Rhetoric. I'm sure those producers and their products are 100% American. This 100% French thing mixes white Bordeaux with wheated bourbon and doesn't throw up, somehow. In fact, it's beyond competent. I should probably drink more. In general.
There were my notes.
Cask 16 is probably great, but Cask 124 would humiliate most brown spirits. I still have one ounce left of 124, an ounce I can drink and not talk about. In fact, it's High Time I get Straight On and listen to a little Dog & Butterfly with the lights low. I suggest you do the same.
RATINGS
L'Encantada Lous Pibous 23 year old 1993, cask 124: A-
L'Encantada Lous Pibous 24 year old 1993, cask 16: B