L’Encantada Armagnac

The year was 2011 – Vincent Cornu had been operating a local catering business based in the town of Vic-Fezensac, in the Gers departement of France, for years. As a hospitality business in the heart of Armagnac country, it was common for him to get together with some friends and local restauranteurs to buy a few liters of Armagnac in bulk that they would split up between their businesses. No branding, no business ventures – just a group buying some Armagnac for themselves and their guests at the end of a meal.

The landscape of Armagnac producers is a region dotted with thousands of small estates, most of which do not own their own stills, instead relying on a traveling distiller to stop by for a day or two and distill the year’s harvest. The producer grows the grapes, harvests and ferments them, and ages the distillate. Most of the time, smaller Armagnac producers do not even have their own brand – they distill the equivalent of one or two barrels a year and sell off quantities here and there when money is needed, retirement is near, etc. These producers tend to be involved in polyculture – grape growing isn’t necessarily their main or only crop.

The concept of L’Encantada was born when one of the suppliers Vincent frequently purchased Armagnac from reached out asking if he would be interested in buying not just a few liters, but their remaining handful of casks, as they were soon retiring. Vincent brought a few friends on board and accepted the offer.

One territory and three terroirs

Fast forward nearly a decade later and the iconic orange waxed top bottle has gained a cult following, with many L’Encantada casks being highly sought-after by groups of whiskey and brandy enthusiasts. decade later the “orange waxed top” has gained momentum and some of these casks are highly thought after by groups of whiskey/brandy enthusiasts. Despite the huge growth, L’Encantada is still a passion project handled on evenings and weekends by a group of four friends.

Now, nearly every negociant business has more or less the same story, but what is distinctive about L’Encantada is the flavor profile that the company’s following was built on. It turns out that Vincent’s palate gravitates towards rich, extracted, wood-forward, higher proof Armagnac – a far cry from the watered down, 40%, sweetened and colored stuff that is often found on shelves. With no prior knowledge of American whiskey, and before the current Bourbon boom, L’Encantada has always been looking for big and bold Armagnac – those rare examples of the spirit that are aged mostly or entirely in new oak.

The early years were not so kind, as Vincent submitted samples of his finds to local and national competitions, only to draw criticism that this “wasn’t Armagnac”. But like many visionaries, he persisted. Fortunately, an American spirits enthusiast based in Europe bought a few bottles of an early release from the Lous Pibous estate, loved what he tasted, and proceeded to share it with his friends back in the US.

Since then, L’Encantada has arguably become the most sought after supplier of vintage, cask strength, unadulterated, single cask Armagnac in the US, while spearheading a revitalization of appreciation for Armagnac.

L’Encantada, PM Spirits Single Barrel Selects 2020

These bottles are single vintage casks from L’Encantada. They have been selected by PM Spirits for their unique characteristics and complexity in the category.

Lous Mouracs 1979, 39 Year - Cask #3

Distilled at a small estate in Tenareze, at Lous Mouracs, this 39 year Armagnac carries a 1979 vintage and was distilled primarily from Ugni Blanc, with some Baco as well, and matured in a dry cellar in Gascon oak casks. It is bottled without coloring or filtering, at cask strength.

SOLD OUT

Domaine del Cassou 1988, 32 Year - Cask #27

Distilled at a small estate in Arthez-d’Armagnac, at Domaine del Cassou, this 32 year Bas Armagnac carries a 1988 vintage and was distilled from ancient Baco vines, and matured in a wet cellar in Gascon oak casks. It is bottled without coloring or filtering, at cask strength.

SOLD OUT

Lous Pibous 1995, 25 Year - Cask #141

Distilled at a small estate in Mauléon d’Armagnac, at Lous Pibous, this 25 year Bas Armagnac carries a 1995 vintage and was distilled from Folle Blanche variety grapes, and matured in a wet cellar in new oak casks. It is bottled without coloring or filtering, at cask strength.

SOLD OUT

PM Spirits Projects - XO Private Barrel Selects

The XO bottles from PM Spirits contain a blend of multiple single vintage expressions. Beyond selecting their own private barrel, clients are provided with a custom color way and design which adds to the bespoke nature of the finished package.

XO Lot TX2020 is comprised of four single vintage casks:

Domaine Belair 1997 - barrel #181
Domaine Parre 1989 -barrel #51
Domaine Lassalle 1987 -barrel #4
Domaine Del Cassou 1985 - barrel #13

Available Exclusively to Houston Bourbon Society members, 600 Bottles

XO Lot Winston is comprised of three single vintage casks:

Domaine Lassalle 1989 -barrel #L62
Domaine Belair 2004 - barrel #B39
Domaine Del Cassou 1985 - barrel #29bis

Available Exclusively to visitors of The Winston in Norman, Oklahoma - 220 Bottles

La Collection - eau-de-vie fines is comprised of a single vintage cask:

Domaine Le Freche 1989 -barrel #L121

Available Exclusively to members of The Orlando Whiskey Society - 200 Bottles

Click here to get your own Single Barrel Pick

L'Encantada Single Barrel

PM Spirits Projects - XO and Tattoo Series

The XO bottles from PM Spirits contain a blend of multiple single vintage expressions. The tattoo series reflects PM’s experimental treatment of L’Encantada Armagnac through finishing in ex-bourbon barrels . They have been selected and finished by PM Spirits to refine and evolve the spirit’s complexity.

PM Spirits Projects XO Armagnac

L’Encantada’s bottles are distinct with their bright orange wax tops and wooden lanyards indicating the vintage and provenance. We’ve taken the concept a step further and released (to date) two expressions of blended L’Encantada Armagnac. Each XO bottling contains a selective blending of 4 to 5 barrels, respectively.
Our design pays respect to the L’Encantada pallet and updates the design to reflect the PM sensibility in our ethos and portfolio. XO Lot 1.0 and XO Lot. 2.0 Are distinctly L’Encantada and undoubtedly PM Spirits.

XO Lot 1.0 is comprised of four single vintage casks:

Domaine Lous Pibous 1989 -barrel #61
Domaine Lous Pibous 1987 -barrel #87
Domaine Del Cassou 1994 - barrel #55
Domaine Bellair 1997 - barrel #181

SOLD OUT

XO Lot 2.0 is comprised of five single vintage casks:

Domaine Lassalle 1990 -barrel #61
Domaine Lassalle 1984 -barrel #v2
Domaine Del Cassou 1985 - barrel #A1
Domaine Amblat 1988 - barrel #32
Domaine Bellair 1997 - barrel #36

SOLD OUT

XO Lot 3.0 is comprised of five single vintage casks:

Domaine Lassalle 1983 -barrel #13
Domaine Castillion 1988 -barrel #8
Domaine Lassalle 1991 - barrel #11
Domaine De Bellair 1998 - barrel #7
Domaine De Bellair 1999 - barrel #141

SOLD OUT

XO Lot 4-A-CAUSE is comprised of eight single vintage casks:

Domaine Lassalle 1986 - barrels # 8 & 9
Domaine Del Cassou 1986 - barrel # 20
Domaine Grand Môle 1988 - barrels # 24 & 14
Domaine Cavaillon 2002 - barrel # 396
Domaine Pouy 2002 - barrel # 123
Domaine Pouy 2006 - barrel # 160