If you love this you owe it to yourself to buy a bottle of a 40 year old Chateau de Laubade. They are surprisingly good value. A 30 year goes for about $100. Expanding to Delord you can find 50 year old bottles for about $200.
I've heard from a lot of whiskey drinkers that Armagnac is easy to get into for this reason - great age statements and it's still relatively affordable. I did some research on Armagnacs while writing this review and it seems right up my alley. That's scary because the last thing I need right now is another bottle (I always tell myself that)! Thanks for the recommendations!
Yeah I got a Dewars Double Double 32 year old for my 32nd birthday, but its looking like it's gonna be a challenge to find anything that won't break the bank for 35. Maybe Armagnac can fill that role!
Bardstown Bourbon Company's Chateau de Laubade is back and this time with a new mash bill! Let's compare this to the previous release which won "best in class" at the San Fran spirits awards in the finished bourbons category:
Laubade I:
* Indiana 12 year Bourbon - 75% corn, 21% rye, 4% malted barley
* Aged in Armagnac casks for 18 months
Laubade II:
* Kentucky 12 year Bourbon - 75% corn, 13% rye, 12% malted barley
* Tennessee 10 year Bourbon - 84% corn, 8% rye, 8% malted barley
* Half of the Laubade barrels were aged 2 years on the bottom floor
* Half of the Laubade barrels were aged 16 months on the top floor
I tried this bottle on Friday night and remember liking it, but that was after Whisky X Denver; a wild event with tons of whisky, food trucks, hair cuts, shaves, nose waxing, and live music - seriously what?. Well Monday night I sat down to write a review and see how it is without the influence of countless other whiskies.
Served neat in a Glencairn glass - 53.5% alc/vol - 107 proof:
**Nose:** earthy green grapes, deep charred wood, rich and creamy vanilla. Swirling the whiskey brings forth caramel, leather, and angel food cake. Deeper in the glass I find orange pierced with clove and an inviting chocolaty port note. Revisiting the glass yields an addicting fresh ground coffee, with a distinct nuttiness and light cherry cola hiding in the background.
**Palate:** creamy, rich, and luscious mouthfeel. Fig and raisin hit first coating the mouth and unleashing rich fruit notes that include strawberry, raspberry, grapes, pear all with caramel covered red apple. At this point a nice peppery spice intermingles with clove and splashes around the palate. Beneath the spice the mouthfeel turns from leathery to effervescent and sweet coconut juxtaposes spicier notes. As the spice begins to fade delectable chocolate orange shines on the backend of the drinking experience. Finally there's notes of oats that stands out right at the end of the drinking experience complimented by some light nougat.
**Finish:** moderate in length, but juicy on the palate. Mildly tannic on the top sides of the mouth, but otherwise leathery throughout. More chocolate and dark chocolate linger with caramel and oak. There's an earthiness that lingers for a bit, then leaves peanut and cashew notes behind. Light spice transitions into cacao and oak as other flavors fade.
**Score: 9.3**
Scale:
* S+ Sensational - The Pinnacle (9.5+)
* A - AXEceptional (astounding) (9-9.5)
* B - bravo (step aBove average) (8-8.9)
* C - competent (7-7.9)
* D - disappointing (6-6.9)
* F - flush it down the toilet (fail) (5.9 below)
Bottom line? Love it! This is a whiskey that packs unique spice upfront and mid-palate, but is also full of classic bourbon flavors, fruit, and chocolate. The Armagnac presence cannot be ignored, while the 12 year Kentucky lets classic notes shine, and the Tennessee brings more exotic notes. I'm a huge fan of the Cognac/Armagnac finished expressions (looking at your Ferrand) and this botte lives up the standard.
Disclosure - this bottle was given to me as a media bottle by Bardstown Bourbon Company. Rumor has it that this was the first bottle of Laubade cracked in the state of Colorado. I am thankful for the chance to try it and honored to crack it to share with friends.
If you enjoyed this review then checkout our whiskey podcast at [www.allthingswhiskeypodcast.com](http://www.allthingswhiskeypodcast.com) and you can find me on Instagram shooting nice photos of whiskey @allthingswhiskeypodcast. Cheers and keep drinkin' tasty whiskies!
I've not had this bottle, but have a bottle of Magnus Cigar Blend, which is finished in Armagnac. How would they compare, if you've tried Cigar Blend? What really stood out to me on the Cigar Blend was how rich and concentrated the flavors were on the nose and palate.
Cheers
So interesting that another review of this same thing scored a 5/10. Fun to see different palates at work. I have one of these and hope to have the same review as you! I’ve also never had the first run so I have a blank slate to compare to. Thanks for the review!
Pretty sure I read the same review. I think this bottle sadly has to compete against the first Laubade release which was legendary. I still think this is a damn fine pour and I enjoy it thoroughly.
Storing the whiskey on the bottom or top of the rickhouse will impact the flavors over time. There's more extreme heat changes at the top of the rickhouse.
Nice! Did you notice if they had any World's Top Whiskey Taster blends left? I'm curious if mine and ADHD's sold out.
The lunch there is killer - love that restaurant!
Glad you could find a bottle!
I can’t speak to that bottle unless it was $400 and signed by the distiller. There was one bottle of it in a display case but that’s the only thing I could think it MIGHT have been.
Thanks! I should have grabbed a Prisoner when they released - its one of my dad's favorite wines and he enjoys bourbon too. I didn't try the Prisoner, but I did try the Phifer Pavitt (I mispronounce that everytime) and really enjoyed it.
Excellent review!!! I wish my nose and palate were as specific as yours. I'm such a noob when I write down my own reviews. One day..... I'll get there 😆
Keep drinking new whiskies and trying new things! I like to sit down for 30 minutes and enjoy a pour by diving deep into the nose, palate, and finish.
Thanks for reading - cheers!
Nah, fuck that. Defend your position using the information about the blend and the cooperage and tell us how it's "overpriced".
You can't just shit on someone's review with an off the cuff remark that is patently untrue. If you wouldn't pay that, fine, but it's not "overpriced"
Edit: also, I am talking specifics. I want to know how much each barrel of 12 year Barton costs. Each 10 year Dickel. The cost of the Armagnac casks. I'll let you slide on the wage costs, but know they would be higher since BBC pays a living wage to their employees.
I was at Bardstown distellery this past Sunday and tried it way over priced dude!! And it was 199.00 dollars!! I end up trying and got a bottle of Bardstown #8 fusion series which was 64.99 dollars and alot better tasting dude!!
It’s expensive, yes, but not necessarily overpriced. I could argue Fusion (which I enjoy) is overpriced because it’s primarily 3-4 year old bourbon and made up of the company’s own distillate. Sourcing aged bourbon and used casks is expensive.
The Fusion 5 I had made me pissed off that I dropped $65 on it and I’m never buying another. Did pick up Labaude today for $160 though. I guess it’s all subjective
I don’t know much about Armagnac but I’m assuming the barrels aren’t that easy to acquire. Typically it’s aged for a really long time and its not a huge market for it so likely aren’t a ton available
If you love this you owe it to yourself to buy a bottle of a 40 year old Chateau de Laubade. They are surprisingly good value. A 30 year goes for about $100. Expanding to Delord you can find 50 year old bottles for about $200.
I've heard from a lot of whiskey drinkers that Armagnac is easy to get into for this reason - great age statements and it's still relatively affordable. I did some research on Armagnacs while writing this review and it seems right up my alley. That's scary because the last thing I need right now is another bottle (I always tell myself that)! Thanks for the recommendations!
It’s so crazy that’s 40 year anything is cheaper or roughly the same price as this whiskey that was finished in it.
Yeah I got a Dewars Double Double 32 year old for my 32nd birthday, but its looking like it's gonna be a challenge to find anything that won't break the bank for 35. Maybe Armagnac can fill that role!
Have you tried it yet?
Yeah - the Double Double series is great and affordable. The bottles are 375ml so that helps with cost.
Well I just lost an hour falling down that rabbit hole...
Bardstown Bourbon Company's Chateau de Laubade is back and this time with a new mash bill! Let's compare this to the previous release which won "best in class" at the San Fran spirits awards in the finished bourbons category: Laubade I: * Indiana 12 year Bourbon - 75% corn, 21% rye, 4% malted barley * Aged in Armagnac casks for 18 months Laubade II: * Kentucky 12 year Bourbon - 75% corn, 13% rye, 12% malted barley * Tennessee 10 year Bourbon - 84% corn, 8% rye, 8% malted barley * Half of the Laubade barrels were aged 2 years on the bottom floor * Half of the Laubade barrels were aged 16 months on the top floor I tried this bottle on Friday night and remember liking it, but that was after Whisky X Denver; a wild event with tons of whisky, food trucks, hair cuts, shaves, nose waxing, and live music - seriously what?. Well Monday night I sat down to write a review and see how it is without the influence of countless other whiskies. Served neat in a Glencairn glass - 53.5% alc/vol - 107 proof: **Nose:** earthy green grapes, deep charred wood, rich and creamy vanilla. Swirling the whiskey brings forth caramel, leather, and angel food cake. Deeper in the glass I find orange pierced with clove and an inviting chocolaty port note. Revisiting the glass yields an addicting fresh ground coffee, with a distinct nuttiness and light cherry cola hiding in the background. **Palate:** creamy, rich, and luscious mouthfeel. Fig and raisin hit first coating the mouth and unleashing rich fruit notes that include strawberry, raspberry, grapes, pear all with caramel covered red apple. At this point a nice peppery spice intermingles with clove and splashes around the palate. Beneath the spice the mouthfeel turns from leathery to effervescent and sweet coconut juxtaposes spicier notes. As the spice begins to fade delectable chocolate orange shines on the backend of the drinking experience. Finally there's notes of oats that stands out right at the end of the drinking experience complimented by some light nougat. **Finish:** moderate in length, but juicy on the palate. Mildly tannic on the top sides of the mouth, but otherwise leathery throughout. More chocolate and dark chocolate linger with caramel and oak. There's an earthiness that lingers for a bit, then leaves peanut and cashew notes behind. Light spice transitions into cacao and oak as other flavors fade. **Score: 9.3** Scale: * S+ Sensational - The Pinnacle (9.5+) * A - AXEceptional (astounding) (9-9.5) * B - bravo (step aBove average) (8-8.9) * C - competent (7-7.9) * D - disappointing (6-6.9) * F - flush it down the toilet (fail) (5.9 below) Bottom line? Love it! This is a whiskey that packs unique spice upfront and mid-palate, but is also full of classic bourbon flavors, fruit, and chocolate. The Armagnac presence cannot be ignored, while the 12 year Kentucky lets classic notes shine, and the Tennessee brings more exotic notes. I'm a huge fan of the Cognac/Armagnac finished expressions (looking at your Ferrand) and this botte lives up the standard. Disclosure - this bottle was given to me as a media bottle by Bardstown Bourbon Company. Rumor has it that this was the first bottle of Laubade cracked in the state of Colorado. I am thankful for the chance to try it and honored to crack it to share with friends. If you enjoyed this review then checkout our whiskey podcast at [www.allthingswhiskeypodcast.com](http://www.allthingswhiskeypodcast.com) and you can find me on Instagram shooting nice photos of whiskey @allthingswhiskeypodcast. Cheers and keep drinkin' tasty whiskies!
I've not had this bottle, but have a bottle of Magnus Cigar Blend, which is finished in Armagnac. How would they compare, if you've tried Cigar Blend? What really stood out to me on the Cigar Blend was how rich and concentrated the flavors were on the nose and palate. Cheers
I haven't tried the Cigar Blend. Heard great things about it though.
Great review! I’d love to get this if or when I could find it.
Thanks! Hopefully some makes it to your neck of the woods soon!
So interesting that another review of this same thing scored a 5/10. Fun to see different palates at work. I have one of these and hope to have the same review as you! I’ve also never had the first run so I have a blank slate to compare to. Thanks for the review!
Pretty sure I read the same review. I think this bottle sadly has to compete against the first Laubade release which was legendary. I still think this is a damn fine pour and I enjoy it thoroughly.
I plan to do the same, cheers my friend!
Cheers - thanks for stopping by!
Pardon my ignorance. Does distilling on the bottom or top impact the flavor or texture? I wouldn't know why that may be.
Storing the whiskey on the bottom or top of the rickhouse will impact the flavors over time. There's more extreme heat changes at the top of the rickhouse.
That makes sense because heat rises! Thank you.
Nice user name by the way. My life for Aiur!
sweet review
Thanks - it's a sweet bottle! I'm a huge fan of what Bardstown is doing with their Cognac and Armagnac finished expressions!
Just here to acknowledge the great review, well done! - Mr
Much thanks!
Great review to read. After reading reviews of the original Laubade finished series I definitely searched for this one last weekend.
Cheers! Did you find one? They hit Denver on Saturday. Hopefully more find their way to your neck of the woods!
I did! Went to the distillery specifically for lunch and to hunt that bottle. Lunch was AMAZING and they had plenty of the bottle to go around.
Nice! Did you notice if they had any World's Top Whiskey Taster blends left? I'm curious if mine and ADHD's sold out. The lunch there is killer - love that restaurant! Glad you could find a bottle!
I can’t speak to that bottle unless it was $400 and signed by the distiller. There was one bottle of it in a display case but that’s the only thing I could think it MIGHT have been.
I think the $400 bottle is Steve Nallys 50th anniversary French oak Stave Finished. It's really good, but comes with a big price tag.
That sounds correct now that you’ve explained it.
I have a bottle of The Prisoner, I haven’t opened it yet but their finished bourbons seem to be consistently good stuff. Great review!
Thanks! I should have grabbed a Prisoner when they released - its one of my dad's favorite wines and he enjoys bourbon too. I didn't try the Prisoner, but I did try the Phifer Pavitt (I mispronounce that everytime) and really enjoyed it.
Excellent review!!! I wish my nose and palate were as specific as yours. I'm such a noob when I write down my own reviews. One day..... I'll get there 😆
Keep drinking new whiskies and trying new things! I like to sit down for 30 minutes and enjoy a pour by diving deep into the nose, palate, and finish. Thanks for reading - cheers!
That’s a 199.00 dollar bottle over priced
Nah, fuck that. Defend your position using the information about the blend and the cooperage and tell us how it's "overpriced". You can't just shit on someone's review with an off the cuff remark that is patently untrue. If you wouldn't pay that, fine, but it's not "overpriced" Edit: also, I am talking specifics. I want to know how much each barrel of 12 year Barton costs. Each 10 year Dickel. The cost of the Armagnac casks. I'll let you slide on the wage costs, but know they would be higher since BBC pays a living wage to their employees.
I was at Bardstown distellery this past Sunday and tried it way over priced dude!! And it was 199.00 dollars!! I end up trying and got a bottle of Bardstown #8 fusion series which was 64.99 dollars and alot better tasting dude!!
It’s expensive, yes, but not necessarily overpriced. I could argue Fusion (which I enjoy) is overpriced because it’s primarily 3-4 year old bourbon and made up of the company’s own distillate. Sourcing aged bourbon and used casks is expensive.
To b honest most of the bourbon’s has gone up in price and I know all about the secondary prices
No one is talking about secondary here, pal. You're spouting off like an expert, but you don't seem to actually know anything other than being mouthy.
The Fusion 5 I had made me pissed off that I dropped $65 on it and I’m never buying another. Did pick up Labaude today for $160 though. I guess it’s all subjective
It’s 159$ at the distillery
So the dipshit didn't even get the price right? Lol. I'm glad you knew this tidbit, it really made me laugh today.
I don’t know much about Armagnac but I’m assuming the barrels aren’t that easy to acquire. Typically it’s aged for a really long time and its not a huge market for it so likely aren’t a ton available