I sold some Baron de Lustrac 1923 Vintage Armagnac the other day to a gentleman in Norway for his father’s 90th Birthday and he sent me a short bit of information about the town that the Armagnac was shipped to. With his permission, I share his email. It is always so gratifying when a customer takes time out to thank you (after all, I am just doing a job) and to also go beyond that too.
“Dominic,
The bottle of 1923 Baron de Lustrac just arrived at my house in perfect condition. I do think my father will appreciate this gift for his 90th anniversary. The last leg of the journey of this bottle will be to the town of Narvik, formerly Victoria Harbour (yes, named initially after the queen of England), well known in the British Isles because of what transpired during WW II. The town also should be known as the place where the Scottish navy commander Kenneth Dalglish Job started his undertakings during the same war; undertakings and missions that led to the creation by Ian Fleming of the James Bond character. What Job / Bond undertook in Narvik in 1940 may well have saved the lives of my parents. I hope providing this bottle of vintage Armagnac has been as interesting to you as it has been to me.
Best regards,”
Name and address supplied.
This email made me want to know more about Narvik and Bond. I was reading up about it Narvik and the man who inspired James Bond (one of many it would seem) and I think that the author of the email must mean Patrick Dalzel-Job, a British Naval Intelligence Officer and Commando, who saved a lot of civilian lives in Narvik. From Wikipedia,
“April until June (1940), he served with the Anglo / Polish / French Expeditionary Force to Norway during which time he disobeyed a direct order to cease civilian evacuation from Narvik. His action saved some 5000 Norwegians for which King Haakon of Norway awarded him the Ridderkors (Knight’s Cross) of St. Olav in 1943. This award saved him from being court-martialled.”
A very interesting story. I must find out more!!
Baron de Lustrac 1923 Vintage Armagnac
I always have a pang of worry when I pack something like this up and no amount of polystyrene posting packs, bubble wrap or shredded paper seems to ease this worry. Essentially your reputation (and your goods) are in the hands of your chosen courier firm as soon as the parcel leaves the shop. But, as the above email demonstrates, this 1923 Baron de Lustrac Vintage Armagnac arrived safely in Norway and, hopefully, made it a 90th birthday to remember.
Check to see if a Vintage Armagnac is available from your birth year or for a special anniversary here.