Hontambere Pouchegu 1982 43yo 53,5%

Another Hontambere, another Pouchegu. But this time, with an incredible Bordeaux vintage: 1982. (edit: this one is a joint-bottling with Clos des Spiritueux, so 1yo older than the OB and a few months in their new dry cellar). Let’s see if it’s also a good armagnac vintage.

Colour: Mahogany, orange lights. Irregular heavy tears.

Nose: Delicious exotic notes at first, mainly mango and passion fruit, immediately followed by heady leathery tones. Wild profile, as some meaty scents emerge. Acacia honey and cinnamon notes in the background. Oak influence feels almost reasonable.

Palate: Extreme acidulous notes, with apricot juice and cola sweets. Bourbon vanilla and a touch of herbal notes (coriander, tarragon). Plenty of fruity prune notes as well. Bold but quite precise, with a well-balanced tannic structure. Rum-like aftertaste, a disturbing mix somewhere between Barbados and Gascony.

Last Notes: More zesty with air. Hints of nutty notes, mainly roasted hazelnut. Dark chocolate, roasted sesame seeds. Back on the palate, a generous mix of almond paste and liquorice. Rustic and funky at the same time.

What an armagnac! I’m close to 91 with this one. This acidulous, funky palate is always a no-brainer for me.

My very subjective note: 90/100

More info about that one