Tasting Notes

  • 1888

    This Armagnac distilled in 1888 has a nice colour with some copper tints.
    The nose is very intense, very agreeable and wooded. We can find some touches of leather, apricot and crystallised fruits.
    In the mouth, the attack is very smooth and some hints of rancio quickly appear.
    Despite its old age, this armagnac is still very powerfull.

  • 1893

    Deep mature leather colour.
    Inviting nose with touches of vanilla, wild stawberries and other red beries.
    Great taste of almond, marzipan and berries.
    Nice acidity, balanced in alcohol.

  • 1900

    It was CASTAREDE armagnacs that was served after the most expensive meal of the year at the Gavroche restaurant in London and the Amateur de Bordeaux selected our 1900 vintage as one of the twelve bottle to purchase to enter the new millenium.
    "Even before the first taste, as soon as the bottle is opened, the aroma of the Castarède 1900 Armagnac fills the room. The mouth is struck by the mildness and force that manifest immediately with an unimaginable suavity, a surprising roundness and above all a long finish that seems like a moment of eternity. And in the room, this persistent, perfect aroma, perhaps the odour of paradise

  • 1904

    Intense amber colour, green tints, limpid eau de vie
    Nose: aromas of coffee, prunes, vanilla, no agressivity
    Mouth : rich touches of prunes, fine eau de vie.

  • 1905

    Dark eau de vie, deep amber colour
    Nose of prunes
    Mouth: noble and dynamic, very long, sensation of old leather
    Can be tasted with black chocolate or cigar

  • 1914

    Brown Armagnac
    Nose: leather, prunes
    Mouth: very powerful even if very old and wooded

  • 1924

    Obtained 19/20 during a tasting organised by « Wine Magazine » in 2000.
    Nose of Caramel, fruit, wood and vanilla, very complex.
    Smooth in the mouth, long pepper,vanilla and fruit finish.
    Excellent mellow and smooth yet rich and complex.
    A voluptuous Armagnac.

  • 1934

    Brown Armagnac with green tints, shiny.
    Incredibly rich and elegant nose with touches of spices, dry prune, orange bark and cinnamon.
    In mouth, very frank attack, the eau de vie is wel balanced, the tannins are soft in the mouth and melted.
    The aromas are very spicy and dry prune and liquorice really dominate, then after aeration, rancio and butter remain in mouth.
    The finish is very long very rich and mild.
    A very nice moment to taste this armagnac mellow and unctuous.
    Perfect also with a nice double corona cigare.

  • 1937

    Complex Nose
    Very Aromatic, very wooded, little touches of peat

  • 1939

    Very rich mouth, with aromas of macerated white fruits and leather.
    No hesitation ! Silver medal at the international wine challenge in 1998

  • 1942

    Golden tints, beautiful live colour
    Nose: very powerful, macerated fruits, leather
    Mouth: light attack, wood, nice at the end of th mouth

  • 1944

    deep amber colour, copper tints
    Nose: very complex and pleasant, spicy aromas (vanilla, cynnamon), old leather, touches of butter
    Mouth: rich, few tannins but still present. Very long Armagnac

  • 1945

    Very Perfumed nose, intense, very rich, complex perfume
    Brilliant colour
    Mouth: Mellow
    Touch of Madeira and even Xeres

  • 1947

    Pale colour, old coppery and golden tints Nose: Vanilla
    Mouth: Light attack, long, end of mouth mellow and perfumed

  • 1949

    Its topaze colour is superb. Spurting out of the glass, the bouquet opens out on a complex melted range, and a superb violet taste.
    Without excess of heat, it affirms its richness on your palate and does “la queue de Paon” giving all of the poesy of its age. A real nectar…

  • 1950

    A light amber colour, melted bouquet without fire on crystallised fruity of cooked apricot with dried flowers flavour.
    Creamy and smooth, it gives spicy notes. It is an armagnac in the perfect style of the House of Castarède.

  • 1955

    Orange tint. Very complex nose with aromas of exotic fruits and of sugar cane and spices.
    Powerfull in mouth and very aromatic.
    End : persistent and spicy

  • 1956

    A deep amber colour. Fresh nose, complex, predominating spices vanilla, pepper, cinnamon. In mouth, it is round and really persistent with vanilla and plum flavours. The glass bottom offers a good rancio. It has a lot of nature.
    “An armagnac very unctuous, with some complex notes of crystallized prune, wood, cocoa and fig. A very rich mouth.”

  • 1957

    This Armagnac has a light fine nose, delicate, classy, lively palate with good depht of flavour, good balance of fruit and fine smooth lingering finish. A very elegant Armagnac.

  • 1958

    Colour: Limpid, dark brown, copper tints.
    Nose: Powerfull, touches of candies vanilla and prunes, notes of leather, coffee, spices
    Mouth: well balanced, powerfull, long finish

  • 1959

    This Bas Armagnac comes from a blend of two cepages, the Ugni Blanc and Baco. Its fawn coloured robe with some red copper gives some rancio flavours reflecting its long stay in barrels in a bouquet of wooden touches.(santal wood, vanilla, grilled touches) spicy and fruity (banana).The mouth is soft and mellow but this eau de vie has kept the nervosity of the baco cepage.
    It is perfect with a maroon cake with an arabica sauce !The richness of maroon and the creamy touch of the dessert is tempered by the freshness of the ice cream. The coffee sauce is an echo to the grilled touches. The osmose is total.

  • 1960

    Nose of candies, vanilla, prunes.
    Few rancio at the end of mouth

  • 1961

    Nose of candies vanilla and prunes
    Few spicy notes, long in mouth

  • 1962

    Beautiful brilliant color, yellow gold
    Complex nose, floral, candied fruits
    Soft attack, round in mouth, balanced

  • 1963

    Colour : Dark Amber with shimmering reddish glow hints
    Nose : Intense and majestic.Slightly intimidating.Cedary.Exotic wood.Antiq shop.Waxed floor.
    Scumprious dessert aromas open up.Buttery shortcake.Prunes stewed in spicy syrup.Vanilla fudge.Hint of dried walnut.
    Palate : Firm and lively.Silky texture.Oak has the word but without dominating.Elegant interplay between wood and fruit.Dried apricot.Intense chocolate.
    Finish : Long and very chocolatey.Soft spices.Cinnamon, all spice.
    Comment : More sweetness on the nose than on the palate.The armagnac has a noble austerity which gradually reveals a warm nature provided allow it to breathe out in the glass.To be enjoyed with Beethoven Symphony n°7

  • 1964

    Armagnac with a pretty pale yellow color presenting some golden tints.
    It has a very pleasant nose with a very pronounced vanilla note.
    In mouth, it has a soft attack, a beautiful balance with a light structure which makes it very pleasant.

  • 1965

    Powerfull Nose.
    Mouth : aromas of prune and wooded

  • 1966

    Nice golden colour, old coppery
    Nice nose non agressive with rancio and citrus aromas
    Soft but virile attack in mouth with good rancio at the end and long lasting
    Well-balanced and powerful, an armagnac “for men”

  • 1967

    Golden Robe with copper tints
    Charming nose with leather notes which reflect its old age, and some touches of vanilla.
    Smooth in the mouth it is round but spicy, with with very harmonious tanins and perfectly melt wood flavours.
    Well balanced with no acidity, this armagnac is voluptuous with an exceptional structure.

  • 1969

    “Amber colour, a distinguished nose which gives some nice notes of crystallised fruits and rancio.
    The mouth is subtle and smooth with a slight taste of wood.”

  • 1970

    Very good nose, nicely balanced with a light shade of vanilla.

  • 1971

    A very smooth and agreeable armagnac, with a lot of aromas.

  • 1972

    Bronze medal at the international wine challenge in 1998 in France.

  • 1973

    Old gold colour, discreet nose, soft attack in the mouth, very well balanced, with some nice rancio at the end of the mouth.

  • 1974

    Very fruity bouquet – fresh, lively orange aromas with some almost perfumed touches – complex, exotic nose no coarseness and no unwelcome alcohol heat on this palate; light, elegant, fruity flavours with a refreshing quality to perk up the palate after a heavy meal; a fine digestif with interesting, spicy, almost mineral notes to the aftertaste.

  • 1975

    Golden medal at the International Wine and spirit competition in London. An amber robe with topaz and orange tints.
    Very well balanced nose, very smooth and tender which marry molasses, dry banana, rice powder, white chocolate, nettle flower, Petunia (a subtle mix of chocolate,iodine and wisteria).
    After having warmed it up, it offers leather flavours, dry wood, white truffle and quinine bark tints.
    The mouth is smooth, woody, with chocolate truffle flavours, vanilla, cinnamon, brioche-like flavours.
    The final touch reminds of liquorice.

  • 1976

    wooded nose, but not too much
    notes of prunes

  • 1977

    Brass colour to moderate shade.
    The bouquet has a fine range and intense crystallized fruit, plum, not much spicy.
    The taste (mellow, well-developed with a retro on the plum and a woody taste really subtle.
    Superb long and glass bottom on the cocoa.
    A lot of neatness for this armagnac.
    15,5/20 in the GaultMillau Magazine

  • 1978

    Topazes and sienna robe with orange touches.
    It offers a nose with complex flavours, which marries animal notes like leather, floral flavours like eucalyptus and fruity flavours like dry fig and blond tobacco.
    After warming it up, we can smell fur and praline flavours.
    The mouth effect is frank, the middle of the mouth is powerful with dry fruits aromas, (dry prune, grape, orange bark, almond).
    The final touch gives white chocolate flavours.

  • 1979

    Delicate nose, perfumed
    Long in mouth, frank
    Fruity aromas (peach, prune and vanilla).

  • 1980

    Nose: light, without aggressivity, easy
    Mouth: few aggressivity , light prunes, few rancio

  • 1981

    Nose: light, without aggressivity, easy
    Mouth: few aggressivity , light prunes

  • 1983

    Colour: pale gold, macerated fruits, vanilla
    Mouth: Light and mellow perfumed Armagnac, pronounced flower notes

  • 1984

    Nose: live, vanilla, wood
    mellow in mouth prunes, spicy, well structured

  • 1985

    Colour: pale, copper light nose of faded flowers
    Mouth: fine and sweet

  • 1986

    Pale colour
    Complex nose
    Smooth in mouth
    light and pleasant

  • 1987

    Colour:  golden light 
    powerfull but pleasant nose
    sweet end

  • 1988

    Pale colour
    slight nose but nice
    Short end, well balanced

  • 1989

    Color : olde gold, copper
    old nose
    Mouth: simple, neutral

  • 1990

    Color golden lights
    neutral nose
    smooth, powerfull, pleasant