I’m a big fan of the Joseph Magnus Cigar Blend so for the price point they both sell at was nervous this wouldn’t compare being they both use Armagnac barrels after maturation. The BBCo Chateau De Laubade delivers and then some. This is a special bourbon! I tried it first neat and then with a very small splash of water. There is a lot of complexity and a lot of flavors going on and they are all equally amazing and balanced. Nose Neat - I got a lot of warm flavors toffee, caramel, lot of honey, little bit of cinnamon. Nose Water - All of the above, but then it really started to bring out the fruit flavors apricot, cherries, apples, and grapes. If I could bottle the scent into a candle I’d buy a dozen. Even my wife who isn’t big on bourbon said it smelled amazing. Palate Neat - has almost like a buttery syrup texture that makes it so smooth. A very balanced sweetness with honey, caramel, toffee, citrus, do get a little bit of a dark dried fruit flavor, not an overpowering spice but just enough to balance the sweetness. Palate Water - That little splash, just wow! It really opened up. I got honey, toffee, caramel, chocolate, apricots, apples, cinnamon, oak, tobacco, etc. it has a ton going on. Finish - Get ready to go on a ride because it just hangs there (the case for both neat and water). I could still taste it probably 20 -30 minutes after I had finished. I got a lot of oak, leather, grape, and even hints of tobacco. The Armangac barrels really bring this bourbon to another level every time I went back I’d get another scent and flavor to jump out. If you can find this I would highly highly recommend buying. It has all the qualities you’d want of a regular bourbon, and I don’t know much about Armagnac barrels, but I would certainly argue that it’s a perfect compilation between the two. I didn’t want to put the glass down. There was nothing about it I didn’t like. I even ended up buying three more bottles (one as a gift). With as many high quality bourbons are being produced these days it’s hard to give a top 5 as it’s always changing, but this Labaude would easily be in my top 5 right now. Well done BBCo.