Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/26650
orange peel throughout its excep- tionally even burn. The hue of JOŸ 1959 lights up the glass, a sunset developing from straw to amber, treating the palate to a nectar of apple and pear and a dollop of generously ripe plum. Savoring these flavors with a hand- made Gurkha Centurion Figurado cigar, which is aged eight years, makes for a marvelous mating of mellow-meets-spice smoke with an exquisite, decades-old French spirit. A trained waitstaff complements Light’s energy in introducing his high-end guests to something beyond the Cognac norm. “It’s actually an easy sell,” says Light of the new experience that his clientele can always associate with the Sunset Marquis. “Once they smell and taste it, they are instantly in love.” Carrying on the complex notes of pastry dough and apricot nectar, the JOŸ XO Bas Armagnac is a masterful ending with a housemade fruit tart at the Restaurant at the Sunset Marquis. Did You Know? ■ The best vintages for Armagnac will be the worst vintage for wine (specifically Bordeaux). When the alcohol is low for the wines, the result is an extraction of the best flavor character in the eaux-de-vie. ■ The main grape variety in JOŸ Armagnac is Bacco. Ugni Blanc, Folle Blanche and Colombard grape varieties, also used in Cognac, are grown in the Côtes de Gascogne as well. ■ Armagnac is produced in small, continuous alambic stills, a one-time process, whereas Cognac goes through two stages of distillation. ■ The overall volume of production in Armagnac is far smaller than that of Cognac. Brandies produced in Armagnac have a lower profile than those from Cognac and are for the most part made and sold by small producers, whereas in Cognac production is dominated by big-name brands. The Art of Grands Armagnac How to En-JOÿ the Spirit Armagnac, unlike Cognac, concentrates on vintage brandies. There’s a philosophy in the département of Gers, the district in Gascony where this spirit is produced, that Armagnac’s one-time distillation (versus two times for Cognac) lends more body, grip and hearty flavor extraction to these earthy eaux-de-vie. And, although Armagnac production preceded Cognac-making by two centuries, it is less widely marketed—and therefore less consumed—than its northern cousin. Originally white wine growers in the Côtes de Gascogne area of Southwest France, the Gessler family is also one of the area’s finest Armagnac producers. Heirs Olivier and Roland Gessler were inspired to bring JOŸ to the world. Armagnac, south of Bordeaux, enjoys a warm, sunny climate. The grapes grown for JOŸ come from the Bas Armagnac district—the most acclaimed of this spirit’s three small production areas, dominated by plantings of Bacco and Ugni Blanc grapes. Bruno Laclotte, President of Regency Wines, brings JOŸ Armagnacs to California and Nevada through his distribution company. Here, he poses with JOŸ Exception Grand Armagnac, in a bottle designed and signed by Paco Rabanne. Containing eaux-de-vie aged an average of 100 years, the Armagnac in the hand-blown crystal sells for a suggested retail price of $11,000. The removable silver top acts as a snifter, while the bottom trans- forms into an ashtray. Only 397 bottles produced; only 20 for the U.S. market. The JOŸ COLLECTION The inspiration to introduce a branded collection of vintage Armagnacs is the fruit of many years’ work. This vintage showcase is a limited-edition group of aged eaux-de-vie, and its signature bottle is designed and signed by world-renowned couturier Paco Rabanne. “I chose to embark on this adventure with JOŸ Armagnacs because I believe that Armagnac, like haute couture and perfume, is a product in a class by its own,” Rabanne points out. JOŸ has developed into the number-one Armagnac house putting money behind marketing and packaging. The collection includes vintages that date back over 100 years, but even one of the more recent vintages, distilled in 1991, is big and resiny, a well-endowed satin carpet of quince and black tea with a dot of black pepper. march 201 1 / the tasting panel / 105