Background
Veuve Goudoulin is an armagnac négotiant founded by Jeanne Ménal Goudoulin in 1935. Jeanne’s grandson, Christian Faure, took over in 1967, and upon his retirement in 2009, the estate was acquired by its current owner, Michel Miclo.
This bottling comes from La Maison & Velier’s “Version Française” range of French spirits. It was distilled in 2000 and bottled at 48.3%.
Tasting
On the nose, I get toasted pecan, apple skin, caramel the moment after you add the dairy into the sugar, cocoa powder, chocolate pudding, raw mushroom, mud, and pine sap.
The palate is more dessert-forward than I expected. The chocolate pudding note is much more dominant, and it’s mixed in with cooked sweet cherries, toasted pecans and hazelnuts, tiramisu, and fresh Red Delicious apple. There are some of those muddy, outdoorsy notes from the nose, but they take a back seat to the dessert spread.
Verdict
Terrific! This is complex but not esoteric – easy to love. The decadent dessert flavors and balanced oak influence really win me over, making this one of my favorite armagnacs to date. Well done! (8/10)