1973 Delord Bas Armagnac (700ml)

The oldest Delord from a recent vertical is this flamboyant, chestnut coloured 1973, a once-off vintage dated expression. Benefiting from 5-10 minutes of air contact, it develops into a buttery, creamy-textured brandy boasting impressive depth including layers of sticky date, raisins and fruit cake as well as hints of dried flowers, backed up by vibrant spices. Oak is encroaching, but enough fruit character is retained - even if you have to roll it around your mouth to extract it. Showing off a feminine and refined side not often experienced in Armagnac, this will make for a sumptuous, end-of-the-night alternative to XO Cognac or sherried Single Malts. 40% Alc./Vol.

Situated in Bas-Armagnac, Delord's distillery is to be found in the village of Lannepax, the ancestral home of the Delord family. They comment, "Our old Sier Armagnac alambics, that we wouldn't part with for all the gold in the world, produce less than 30 litres of eau-de-vie an hour. Our cellars contain our old treasured vintages and include more than 700 oak barrels that protect and age the Armagnac eau-de-vie dating from the 20th Century to the present day". 40% Alc./Vol.