Domaine de Poutëou 1979 #40 70cl (Bottled for Israel Armagnac Society)

Domaine de Poutëou 1979 #40 70cl (Bottled for Israel Armagnac Society)

This Armagnac was produced in 1979 by Domaine de Poutëou from Baco grapes in Bas Armagnac, France.

It matured for 46 years in a humid cellar and will be bottled in November 2026 at cask strength with approx. 44.1%. It comes from cask no. 40. It was distilled in an Alambic Armagnacais (column still).

Pre-order! You can pre-order from October 22 until Friday, November 6, 2026.

Once the pre-order closes, the cask will be bottled at Domaine de Poutëou. We expect to ship at the end of November or early December 2026, as soon as the bottles arrive at our warehouse.

The Israeli Armagnac Society on this selection

Traveling through Armagnac alongside independent bottlers feels like an ongoing treasure hunt. You visit distilleries and historic cellars where time seems to stand completely still, and you can feel its history and passion everywhere you go.

Every once in a while, you realize you're on the right path, that you've uncovered a true gem. Domaine de Poutëou is exactly that.

For five generations, the Tarbé family has been distilling Armagnac at this historic estate. The moment you step through the doors, you know you are in for a rare treat. Walking from the still house into the old cellar, dating back to the 1500s, feels like stepping straight into a historic dungeon, taking you back to another era entirely.

About Domaine de Poutëou

Located in the heart of Bas-Armagnac, Domaine de Poutëou is a small, family-run estate set within an ancient property.

Grape varieties

Baco: The second most common grape in the region, which shines brightest after decades of aging, producing a full-bodied Armagnac rich in aroma.
Folle Blanche: A delicate variety that nearly vanished from the region (under 5% of total vineyards today). Domaine de Poutëou replanted it and began distilling it in 1998.

Production

Grapes are harvested early to preserve high natural acidity and undergo natural fermentation. Distillation takes place every December in a traditional, direct-fired copper Armagnac still, targeting a low distillation strength of 53% ABV.

Maturation and blending

Spirit is aged in 420-liter oak casks (30% new oak). For the first 12 years, all casks from the same vintage are blended together annually before returning to barrels. This creates perfect consistency between new and used oak while encouraging gentle, controlled oxidation.

The selection process, cask #40

We first tasted a sample of the 1979 vintage in the estate's tasting room and immediately knew we had to explore it further. Tucked away at the far end of the 16th-century cellar, a few remaining casks from this legendary year were still maturing.

This vintage possessed a distinct, captivating amaretto and almond profile, unlike anything else we tasted across the entire Armagnac region. We sampled every remaining cask of '79; all were exceptional, but a few truly soared. Months later, during a comprehensive blind evaluation back home, cask #40 stood out for its balance and elegance, and we set our minds to bottling it for the Israeli Armagnac Society.

Nimrod's selection notes

"The Poutëou 1979 vintage has everything it takes to become one of those legendary, category-defining releases. It effortlessly carries 46 years of maturation and deep rancio alongside vibrant fruit, never allowing the oak to overpower the spirit. What truly sets cask #40 apart is its distinctive marzipan and amaretto signature (reminiscent of artisanal loquat-seed liqueur). It is exceptionally balanced, elegant, and proved its superiority time and time again in blind tastings."

Nissim's tasting notes

Appearance: Deep crimson hue.
Nose: Mango, feijoa, black olives, fine varnish, and mature tropical fruits.
Palate: Bittersweet, soft, and textured. Almonds, candied kumquat, damp moss, black olives, and a pleasantly dusty mouthfeel.
Finish: Long and mouth-coating with a balancing bitterness. Seville orange, citrus oils, rich rancio, mango peel, distinct minerality, and chocolate-covered clementine.