Authentic Spirits

13/05/2026

𝐍𝐞𝐰 𝐛𝐨𝐭𝐭𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐫𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐬𝐩𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐬! 🚐🔎🥃
The new releases keep coming! Here are three new bottlings that are available today and that the lucky ones who participated in the fantastic German Armagnac Festival last Saturday in Stuttgart were able to taste.

A few days ago, you saw the release of a rather crazy bottling, the 𝐆𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐮𝐦𝐞 𝐃𝐮𝐥𝐮𝐜 Napoléon Full Proof Cognac. There's another one! Guillaume Duluc also honored me by offering me a very old Lot of 𝐆𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐞 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐠𝐧𝐞 from the house's "𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐬" cellar, the existence of which I was unaware. Impressed by its elegance, intensity, balance, and length, I had no choice but to bottle this 𝐋𝐨𝐭 𝟕𝟎, a true family treasure. If you liked the Saunier Lot 75, you'll love this Lot 70.

A few years ago, I made an improvised visit to a tiny 𝐁𝐚𝐬 𝐀𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐠𝐧𝐚𝐜 producer, completely impossible to find without some research, as there were no signs or website. Impressed by the overall quality of their production, I was eager to return and taste it directly in the cellar. 𝐃𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐝𝐞 𝐏𝐢𝐧𝐨𝐥𝐞 comprises less than 2 hectares of 𝐁𝐚𝐜𝐨 vineyards, producing vintage Bas Armagnacs since 1979 by two brothers: Alain and Claude Dupouy. From the outset, they chose to reject blending and topping up, preserving the authenticity of the work in the vineyard and the winemaking process. Since 1999, Alain has continued the adventure on his own. Two 𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐡𝐮𝐦𝐢𝐝 𝐜𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐫𝐬, near the family home with its typical Landes-style timber framing, ensure optimal aging. It is perhaps the most exciting cellar I've visited in Bas Armagnac. This 𝟏𝟗𝟖𝟔 is, in my opinion, exceptional: characterful, fruity, subtly oaky, and elegant. Believe me, there will be other vintages to release this year from Authentic Spirits...

And here is our first collaboration with Romain Le Passeur. Founded in 2023 by Romain Duteuil, a nomadic and independent Armagnac bottler, Le Passeur works closely with producers. This Ténarèze Armagnac comes from the cellars of 𝐇𝐞́𝐥𝐞̀𝐧𝐞 𝐅𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐭 at 𝐃𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐝𝐞 𝐋𝐚 𝐏𝐨𝐬𝐭𝐞. In 1968, Georges Faget realized his dream by purchasing a post house dating back to the 18th century to create his vineyard. Domaine de La Poste was born. Starting in 1970, the traveling distiller 𝐂𝐚𝐬𝐢𝐦𝐢𝐫 𝐌𝐢𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐤𝐢 set up his copper still on the property at the end of each November. For two decades, Georges meticulously distilled and aged his Armagnacs, which he never sold. They were his treasure. After 1990 and the death of his wife, he lost his passion for distilling and ceased his Armagnac production. Upon his death in 2011, his children, including his youngest daughter Hélène, inherited his life's work. We have the rare privilege of having been granted permission by Hélène to come and sample the Armagnac in her cellar. It is the first time, and not without a certain emotion, that she has sold an Armagnac made by her father, Georges. We selected this 𝟏𝟗𝟕𝟗 cask which really convinced us with its characteristic 𝐩𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐟𝐫𝐮𝐢𝐭 𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐞.

For more details and to find them : www.authentic-spirits.com
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Cheers!

09/05/2026

That is the question.

06/05/2026

𝐍𝐞𝐰 𝐛𝐨𝐭𝐭𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐫𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐬𝐩𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐬! 🚐🔎🥃
Let's start with a surprise discovery while I was looking for Ténarèze Armagnacs. Paul 𝐃𝐮𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐝𝐢𝐞𝐮 was a producer of Armagnac with astonishing methods: he aged his casks outdoors, directly exposed to the elements, instead of keeping them in a closed cellar. He observed that aging in the open air resulted in a higher quality eau-de-vie, simply topping it up with a single cask from the same vintage, without ever adding any additives or reducing the spirit. Today, the estate no longer exists, but Paul's son, Bernard, has taken over the selling of the Armagnacs, available in three age statements (from 7 to 18 years old). Practicing also farming, the estate produced 𝐩𝐫𝐮𝐧𝐞𝐬, and a surplus of this production was fermented and distilled in 𝟏𝟗𝟗𝟓, then aged in 𝐨𝐚𝐤 𝐜𝐚𝐬𝐤𝐬. After 20 years, the stock was transferred to a stainless steel cask. Bernard is now retired. I was fortunate enough to meet him and taste his three Armagnacs, including a stunning 18-year-old Hors d'Âge (that I'll be featuring soon) as well as this very old plum brandy. Given the quality of this eau-de-vie, I couldn't resist insisting on acquiring a few bottles to share with you.

Let's move on to 𝐆𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐞 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐠𝐧𝐞 now. After bottling Lot 84 for Amateur Spirit a few months ago, Guillaume Duluc also told me about a very young cask from his production, exceptional for its aromatics and color (rich and dark). I had already bottled a cask strength VSOP from the 2019 harvest. Since this one was old enough to qualify for the "𝐍𝐚𝐩𝐨𝐥𝐞𝐨𝐧" age statement (over 8 years), I naturally wanted to create another special 𝐜𝐚𝐬𝐤 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐭𝐡 edition (𝟕𝟎% 𝐀𝐁𝐕!), with a rather special label for the occasion, reflecting its character...

Finally, I have been searching for exceptional, unreduced fruit 𝐞𝐚𝐮𝐱-𝐝𝐞-𝐯𝐢𝐞 for a long time. Taking advantage of the trip to the German Armagnac Festival last year, I scheduled a few visits to producers from 𝐀𝐥𝐬𝐚𝐜𝐞. Fully committed to biodynamic agriculture, Domaine 𝐂𝐡𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐧 𝐁𝐢𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐫 has been writing its family history since 1770 and covers 11 hectares of vineyards. They also distill their own spirits to make the most of the vineyard's by-products and the fruit from their orchards. After explaining my desire to select unreduced eaux-de-vie, Béatrice Binner gave me a tour of the attic, where dozens of demijohns have been aging for years. It was there that I fell in love with a 𝐁𝐨𝐧-𝐂𝐡𝐫𝐞́𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐧 𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐫 𝐞𝐚𝐮-𝐝𝐞-𝐯𝐢𝐞, well-known as 𝐖𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐚𝐦𝐬 𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐫. From the 𝟐𝟎𝟏𝟒 𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐯𝐞𝐬𝐭, the pears were hand-picked, sorted, stemmed, and pressed. After natural fermentation and double distillation in the estate's copper still, it was 𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐧 𝐝𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐣𝐨𝐡𝐧𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝟏𝟏 𝐲𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐢𝐜, all without additives or filtration (so, 𝟔𝟏% 𝐀𝐁𝐕), resulting in the purest expression of the fruit. A huge favorite, quite simply the best pear eau-de-vie I've ever tasted.

𝐀𝐥𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐞𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐛𝐞 𝐚𝐯𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 German Armagnac Festival𝐅𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐚𝐥 𝐧𝐞𝐱𝐭 𝐒𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐝𝐚𝐲!

For more details and to find them : www.authentic-spirits.com
And don't forget to subscribe here : http://eepurl.com/hXyNUn

Cheers!

04/05/2026

Hey spirit lovers! 🥃
This week, May 9, is the 4th edition of the German Armagnac Festival. 🇩🇪🍇🇫🇷
Like last year, I have the pleasure to be there with lots of new bottlings:
- Bas-Armagnac Pinole 1986 Baco
- Bas-Armagnac Téroulet 2003 Colombard/Ugni blanc
- Armagnac Ténarèze Bourdilet 1979 Amateur Spirit
- Armagnac Ténarèze La Poste 1979 with Romain Le Passeur
- Cognac GC Duluc Lot 70
- Cognac GC Duluc Napoléon Full Proof 70%
- Poire Williams 2014 Christian Binner 61%
- Très vieille Prune d’Ente Dubourdieu 1995 44%

See you in Stuttgart! 🍻

11/04/2026

18/03/2026

The last selection of Amateur Spirit is still available until Sunday, March 22nd on https://amateurspirit.com/?product=bourdilet-1979

𝗔𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗴𝗻𝗮𝗰 𝗧𝗲́𝗻𝗮𝗿𝗲̀𝘇𝗲 𝗕𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗱𝗶𝗹𝗲𝘁
100% Ugni Blanc 🍇
1979 (46 years old)
49,5%
Single cask, cask strength, unfiltered, no additives
Price : 165 € ex VAT (700ml)

👃 N͟o͟s͟e͟: floral, malty and whisky-like, zesty citrus, musc, cola nuts, generous rancio, complex
👅 M͟o͟u͟t͟h͟: bright zingy citrus, high acidity, rancio, complexity, good present fruit. Eucalyptus, licorice, and jasmine appear with a drop of water (it takes a drop of water well)
🫦 F͟i͟n͟i͟s͟h͟: Extremely long, acidity, salinity, citrus

Why the weathervane on the front label? On the various visits made to the domaine, the weathervane with the pigeon perched on top always seemed to be watching over the house, the vines, and the dovecote, acting like a witness to past and present – and perhaps gazing into the future. It stood out on several occasions and so seemed like a good fit this front label.

28/02/2026

𝐍𝐞𝐰 𝐛𝐨𝐭𝐭𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐫𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐛𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐬! 🚐🔎🥃

It's been a few months since I released my last Calvados, a Pays d'Auge. I thought it was time for a new profile, why not with pear, and therefore a Domfrontais. After visiting a few estates (old, good Calvados isn't so easy to find), I came across a cask of 𝟏𝟎𝟎% 𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐬 𝐂𝐚𝐥𝐯𝐚𝐝𝐨𝐬 from 2005 at 𝐅𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐞 𝐆𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐝𝐨𝐧 (also known as 𝐋𝐚 𝐂𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐍𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐞). The Guesdon family has been cultivating apples and pears for three generations on tall trees, some of them centuries old, located in the areas of two Calvados appellations: Calvados AOC and Calvados AOC Domfrontais. This rare 𝐂𝐚𝐥𝐯𝐚𝐝𝐨𝐬 𝐃𝐨𝐦𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐬 (most blends contain 30-40% pears) comes from the 𝟐𝟎𝟎𝟒 𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐫 𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐯𝐞𝐬𝐭. The perry was distilled in May 2005 in the family's column still, which is also mobile. This late distillation, using a longer fermented must, yields richer, fattier spirits. A true curiosity with a very floral profile!

We remain in Normandy at the excellent domaine 𝐌𝐚𝐧𝐨𝐢𝐫 𝐝𝐞 𝐌𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐮𝐢𝐥, run by the 𝐆𝐢𝐚𝐫𝐝 family. I had bottled two superb Pays d’Auge Calvados there: a 1973 selected by the jury of Amateur Spirit and a 1984 selected by Aficionados. Patrice Giard had let me taste his last few liters of his oldest 𝐏𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐚𝐮, a 𝟐𝟎𝟎𝟎 vintage. It was made from a blend of two-year-old Calvados and unfermented apple juice obtained immediately after pressing, then aged in oak barrels since 2000. This exceptional and 𝐞𝐱𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐥𝐲 𝐫𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝟐𝟓-𝐲𝐞𝐚𝐫-𝐨𝐥𝐝 𝐏𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐚𝐮 is perhaps the oldest ever bottled!

Let's head to the Gers region now. One thing I love about searching for new Armagnacs is discovering new estates, the kind you can't find online. The ultimate find is an estate that doesn't even have a sign advertising the sale of 𝐀𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐠𝐧𝐚𝐜. And that's precisely the case with 𝐃𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐝𝐮 𝐓𝐞́𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐞𝐭. This property adjoins the Château de Mormès, built by the Count of Barbotan in 1750. It was on this estate, acquired by his grandfather in 1942, that 𝐆𝐞́𝐫𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐒𝐩𝐨𝐞𝐫𝐫𝐲 began his career as an Bas Armagnac producer, cultivating 𝐂𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐦𝐛𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐔𝐠𝐧𝐢 𝐁𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐜 grapes. Distilled at 52% by the Panjas cooperative in a 1974 Geimdor column still, this 𝟐𝟎𝟎𝟑 𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐞 then aged in a very humid cellar, giving it a surprisingly mature rancio character for its young age, reminiscent of a Grande Champagne Cognac.

Oh by the way, the next 𝐀𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐮𝐫 𝐒𝐩𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐭 jury meets this Sunday to select a 𝐓𝐞́𝐧𝐚𝐫𝐞̀𝐳𝐞 𝐀𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐠𝐧𝐚𝐜...

For more details and to find them : www.authentic-spirits.com
And don't forget to subscribe here : http://eepurl.com/hXyNUn

25/02/2026

Bonjour,
J'ai le plaisir de vous inviter à un événement unique dédié à l’Armagnac :
Fest’Armagnac 2026
📍 La Grande Poste – Bordeaux, rue du Palais Gallien
📅 Samedi 7 mars 2026
🕥 De 10h30 à 20h
Cette journée est entièrement consacrée à la découverte de l’Armagnac à travers des dégustations, des échanges directs avec les producteurs, embouteilleurs et professionnels du secteur, ainsi que des moments privilégiés autour de ce spiritueux d’exception.
Ce sera l’occasion de :
– découvrir et déguster les embouteillages Authentic Spirits
– approfondir vos connaissances sur l’Armagnac et ses savoir-faire
– partager un moment convivial entre passionnés et professionnels
Informations et accès : www.festarmagnac.fr
Je serais ravi de vous y accueillir au stand 38 (à l'étage) et de partager ensemble ce grand rendez-vous autour de l’Armagnac.
À très bientôt,
Aurélien Touzé

24/10/2025

Cognac Grande Champagne Guillaume Duluc
100% Ugni Blanc
Lot 84 (40 years old)
43,1%
Single cask, cask strength, unfiltered, no additives
Price : 162 € (700ml)

Why the jeep on the front label? Well, this is one of Guillame’s current means of getting around. In fact, when visiting the domaine recently during this year’s harvest, we traveled from one parcel of vines to another in this exact vehicule, a jeep made in 1943 and which was active during WWII. Needless to say, there was no debate as to what was going on this front label.

Still available for few days on: https://amateurspirit.com/?product=duluc-lot-84

12/02/2025

Calvados Pays d'Auge Giard (Manoir de Montreuil)
100% apples
1973 (46 years old)
44,0% (cask strenght)

What’s with the curious looking head sculpture on the front label? When visiting the domaine, I could not look away from this figure positioned on the wall near the alambics. What the front label does not show is that the year 1948 is carved just below the head. The Giard family is not 100% sure of how or why it got there, but they suspect it could have been the head of the mason who installed the pot stills.

Still available for few days on:
https://amateurspirit.com/?product=giard-1973

17/01/2025

𝐍𝐞𝐰 𝐧𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐜 𝐛𝐨𝐭𝐭𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐫𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐛𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐬! 🚐🔎🥃

𝘊𝘰𝘨𝘯𝘢𝘤 𝘉𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘉𝘰𝘪𝘴 𝘗𝘙𝘌𝘕𝘌𝘓𝘓𝘌𝘙𝘐𝘌 𝘓𝘰𝘵 90 - 52,4%
When I bottled the Prenellerie 1983 for Amateur Spirit, another younger barrel (well, others...) caught my attention for its wild side. Finally, I offer it, always with the aim of exploring a little more the Bons Bois vintage, with which you never get bored.

𝘈𝘳𝘮𝘢𝘨𝘯𝘢𝘤 𝘔𝘐𝘊𝘏𝘌𝘓 𝘛𝘈𝘙𝘛𝘈𝘚 1992 - 43,2%
Also a few months ago, in the Landes this time, I was seduced by a very atypical Bas-Armagnac produced by Michel Tartas. This name may not mean anything to you and you will not find more information on the web, but I can tell you that this Armagnac is worth the detour because of its similarities with a cognac.

As usual, they were bottled directly in the cellars, in 50 cl bottles with hand-written labels, at very fair prices.
More good news, shipping 3 of these bottles will only cost you, for example: €59 to the USA, €19 to France and €26 to most European countries.
For more details and to find them : www.authentic-spirits.com
And don't forget to subscribe here : http://eepurl.com/hXyNUn