L'Encantada Le Frêche 1990 #46 (Blackout) & 1988 #22 (Lincoln Road) Reviews

Here is a pair of reviews for two L'Encantada Armagnacs from Domaine Le Frêche. Prior to receiving these, my almost sole experience with L'Encantada has been with Domaine Lous Pibous, most of all which had been great. Let's see if that streak extends to other domaines from this producer.

L'Encantada Le Frêche 1988 Cask No. 22

Bas Armagnac; Aged 29 years; 52%; $150; Selected by Lincoln Road

Nose: Plums and other purple fruits. Some red fruits too. Hefty dose of old, ashy wood. Fairly rich. Heat is non existent.

Taste: Decent viscosity - again like the nose, it's fairly rich. There is a good amount of sugary red/purple fruits and dark chocolate but also a wallop of oak and wood sugars. It tastes like a classic, hyper aged Armagnac but through the mid palate and finish there is a bitter note I liken to walnut shells.

Thoughts: My impression now is better than when I first opened this bottle many months ago. At the time I thought it was overly bitter and the lush sugary sweet grape/date notes I like were really masked. The oak has calmed down and now there's enough of the rich fruit flavors coming through to keep it from being a lost cause. I know I am in the minority as most folks are over the moon for this but I still don't love it. I feel like as time goes on my receptiveness to bitterness is intensifying.

Rating: B-

L'Encantada Le Frêche 1990 Cask No. 46

Bas Armagnac; Aged 27 years; 52.9%; $150?; Selected by Blackout

Nose: Fruitier than the 22. More red fruits than purple and without as much charry oak. It's even more rich than the Lincoln Road and definitely more balanced in sweet vs oak but a little more aggressive in the heat department.

Taste: Creme brûlée, strawberries, grapes, chocolate. There are a lot of bourbon like notes but also enough purple fruit to let you know it's still an Armagnac. There's a touch of heat giving it some umpf but it's still very drinkable. The finish does round out with more oak than the rest of the ride and it teeters on the point bitterness but never quite crosses my line. 

Thoughts: From day one when I opened these I've always preferred the Blackout cask and while the Lincoln Road has improved this one is still the winner for me. While it slants towards a bit more of a bourbon profile it is still distinctly Armagnac. Overall it just feels brighter and less brooding than the Lincoln Road. If it weren't for the slightly rough oak heavy finish this could be near the B+ range for me.

Rating: B

Note that price is not considered when assigning a rating.