A very complete Blanc de Blancs, deep nose, ripe lemons, flowers, just a waft of nuttiness, deep and mineral, rich but linear, fresh and intense, silky and supple, long. Delicious stuff.

Decanted. Pure and silky, primary but complete, tightly coiled yet calm, intense yet subtle, flowers and minerals, hint of aniseed, ripe but energetic, very flowing, flower honey and grapefruit, Riesling-like elegance, hint of youthful bitters, very good length. Really singing today, much more open and attractive than in May 2014. A star.

Recent release, pristine bottle. Mature but not tired, warm and autumnal nose, "bouquet garni", beef stock; silky sweet palate, well-balanced, life-sustaining tannic grip but no sense of dryness or piquancy, good length.

Bottled September 2004. Wonderfully floral and elegant, intense and long, very concentrated and complete, nuts, candied fruit, powerful bitters, considerable back-end heat (49% ABV), a powerhouse of an Armagnac, masculine and long.

Bottled November 2012. Same strength as the 1993 (49% ABV), masculine and athletic but neither as expressive nor as hot as the 1993, harmonious and elegant, much more like a Cognac, lovely balance.