History

The Samalens house has since 1882 been distilling, blending and aging eaux-de-vie in Bas-Armagnac. We put this hereditary know-how at the service of innovation to push boundaries and offer new taste experiences. We strive to reveal Armagnac's potential and sublime it, while preserving the quality traits that give it identity: aromatic strength, richness and aging potential.

Savoir-Faire and Production

The house of Samalens consists of an atypical distillery: four traditional Armagnac alambics and four traditional Cognac alambics. Traditional distillation requires experience and continuous tasting throughout the process. To be as precise as possible, cuts are not standardized and depend on the distiller's tastings. Each eau-de-vie matures in traditional Armagnac casks of 450 liters made from French pedunculate or sessile oaks. They are chosen for their fine grain and light toasting to preserve the aromas of the eaux-de-vie without too strong wood treatment. The Armagnacs are aged first in new barrels, then transferred to used barrels to mature slowly until bottling.

Production range

The range includes: VS, V.S.O.P, Napoléon, XO, Vieille Relique, Millésime, Single 8, Single 12, Single 15, as well as special editions such as Samalens Ananas-Vanille, Samalens Pruneau-Macadamia-Vanille and Samalens Raisin-Figue-Vanille.

Tasting notes (excerpts)

• VS: Amber-green/golden color. Fresh nose with floral notes. Citrus dominates on the palate, with a light attack.
• V.S.O.P: Balance between fruit freshness and the wood's complexity. Light gold; fruity nose with a touch of wood, soft mouth and spicy finish.
• Napoléon: Dark amber; rich and complex nose dominated by roasted notes. Dark fruit mid-palate with vanilla aftertaste.
• XO: Amber color with brown hues; elegant nose of spices and vanilla. Round and generous with soft tannins and long finish.
• Vieille Relique: Dark amber; delicate roasted nose; very long on the palate with candied fruits and prunes and a soft finish.
• Millésimes: Each vintage captures the essence of the year's harvest and distillation and undergoes careful aging and approval before bottling.
• Single 8 ans: Nose vanilla, rose petals and dried fruits; intense floral palate with licorice- and spice-notes.
• Single 12 ans: Yellow-gold color; nose reminiscent of Porto with vanilla and dried flowers; palate with spices and long finish.
• Single 15 ans: Dark amber; key notes of cedarwood, tobacco and cigar; spicy mid-palate and balsamic notes.
• Samalens Ananas-Vanille: Nose vanilla with a slight acidic twist; round and luscious palate with a touch of acidity from pineapple; woody finish.
• Samalens Pruneau-Macadamia-Vanille: Nose prune jams and apple compote; soft palate with candied notes and walnut/vanilla on the finish.
• Samalens Raisin-Figue-Vanille: Nose candied fruits and light wood; vegetal on the palate with a slight bitterness, balanced by vanilla and wood.

Products and tasting experiences

• VS
• V.S.O.P
• Napoléon
• XO
• Vieille Relique
• Millésimes (Single 8, Single 12, Single 15)
• Samalens Ananas-Vanille
• Samalens Pruneau-Macadamia-Vanille
• Samalens Raisin-Figue-Vanille

Visits and experiences

DÉGUSTATIONS and experiences degustations: - DANS LA TRADITION: Samalens Armagnac VSOP, Samalens Armagnac XO, Samalens Vieille Relique. Price: 7€ per person. - UN VOYAGE À TRAVERS L'HISTOIRE DE L'ARMAGNAC: Samalens Armagnac 1976, Samalens Armagnac 1986, Samalens Armagnac 1996. Price: 14€ per person. - DANS L'ÉLÉGANCE: Samalens Armagnac 12 ans, Samalens Armagnac Napoléon, Samalens Armagnac 1990. Price: 11€ per person. - LE MONDE DES SPIRITUEUX: Samalens VSOP, Blurry Moon Gin, Tchankat Whisky. Price: 5€ per person. - OFFRE VISITE: Discovery of Samalens' know-how. Tour of the centenarian alambics and aging cellars, followed by a tasting of Samalens Armagnac VSOP and Samalens Armagnac XO. Price: 5€ per person. - OFFRE REPAS: The day includes a visit, ending in the boutique, aperitif and lunch with a Gers-region meal as well as Samalens Single 15 years. Price: 125€ per person for 2–3 people; 85€ per person for 4–8 people. Optional visit to the village of Fources.

Philosophy

Savoir-Faire and innovation: Four Armagnac alambics (centenaries) and four Charente alambics in the house. Distillation is traditional and requires experience and ongoing tasting throughout the process, and is not cut according to standardized rules – it depends on the distiller's palate; each eau-de-vie ages in 450-liter barrels of French oak (pedunculate or sessile in construction). The Armagnacs age first in new barrels, then move to used barrels for a slow aging until bottling. The aim is to preserve Armagnac's aromatic strength, richness and aging potential while bringing innovation and modern taste experiences to the fore.