Sometimes I buy something for no good reason. I bought this Armenian Brandy only because I wanted to avoid getting the same bottle of Ararat for the fifth time and this, charmingly, sounded like a sequel. Arshak II: The Revenge. Arshak II: Electric Boogaloo. Arshak II: Judgment Day. You get the point.
So when I researched this stuff, I had an “oh, that makes sense” moment where the brandy is named after Arshak the second, an Armenian ruler of some account. Apparently he's immortalized here because the Persians wanted to convert all of Armenia to Zoroastrianism (?!) and Arshak II was like, “Not on my watch!,” so they had to resort to treachery to beat him.
“This is absolutely a bottle of Brandy I would recommend to anyone who wants a good drink at a good value.”
Then, when Arshak II was imprisoned in a prison called—no shit—the Castle of Oblivion, some guy came up to visit him and said, “Dude, things were great when you were in charge.” Arshak II said, “Yeah, they were, weren't they? Hey, let me see that knife you have.” At which point Arshak II stabbed himself with the visitor's knife, and the visitor was like, “My God, how tragic and touching!” and was so moved that he then stabbed himself through the heart. A heartwarming tale of ritual suicide.
I mean, correct me if I'm wrong. I feel like this wouldn't be the first time that I wildly misinterpreted the history that went into naming a liquor.
So, Arshak II, the booze. It confirms what I know about Armenian Brandy as a whole: to wit, that it's quite good and quite cheap. As a short anecdote, my friend Bill (who used to be a wine merchant) turned me onto Spanish reds. “They're great,” he said, “And Spain's economy sucks, which is the only reason why they're so affordable.” A similar tale can most likely be told for the brandies of Armenia, a country whose per-capita GDP is two rungs above El Salvador and one rung below Libya.
Due at least in part to these geopolitical factors, Arshak II was about $15. For that price, you get a pretty decent deal in terms of brown liquor. So much of a deal, in fact, that I'm hard pressed to think of anything outside of maybe Mellow Corn that gets within this general area of screaming good value.
Fair warning before we get to any detailed tasting notes: there's some edge to this 3-year old brandy. By this, I mean there's a slight acerbic sharpness that will creep up on you now and again. Pour Arshak II into a rocks glass, let it mellow, and the bite shouldn't necessarily bother you unless you go looking for it. I was considering drinking it straight to really drill down on how well it holds up until I realized: why bother? I'd enjoyed most of the fifth over ice as we began to head into summer, and it was superb in that application. Why go looking for trouble?
What you can expect is a big peach and vanilla flavor, which Arshak II delivers in spades. I really like these lighter brandy styles that deliver some stonefruit freshness with just a kiss of vanilla and oak on the back end. Arshak II does not overreach, and as such it's a slam dunk. It's a very juicy, delectable treat that works very well as an after-dinner drink.
On the other hand, the lightness of the spirit makes for a drinking experience that's weighted pretty heavily on the arrival and lacks a bit on the aroma and finish. This is not a brandy to bring to a wedding, nor is it anything I'd pour for someone who wants to experience something sublime when it comes to brown liquor. Sophisticates are unlikely to be moved to tears, especially those who would subject Arshak II to the same rigorous tasting process they'd bring to bear on a dram of Macallan 25. Did I mention Arshak II is fifteen dollars?
In the end, Arshak II is absolutely a bottle I'd recommend to value drinkers who would say something like, “Tell me about something you like that's cheap and interesting,” or, “I'm looking for something awesome I don't already know about that I can sip while watching TV.” I would handily drink this over Jack Daniels, Evan Williams, Bacardi, or anything else I'd find at a local liquor store for $15. It's very much exactly what I think of when I consider some of the perfect “give no shits” bottles.
Beyond the caveat of not expecting filet mignon at ham sandwich prices, I'd also mention that I have the benefit of being near a big 'ol liquor store in a city with a large Armenian population. In your neck of the woods, Armenian Brandy might be a little less available. In any case, it's worth keeping an eye out for this stuff.
