Tenareze and Bas-Armagnac side by side. Both bottled above 50% ABV, a level that still raises eyebrows locally, even though wizards like Romain from Le Passeur dared to bottle a 70%+ armagnac (and a pleasant one as far as I remember)…With that in mind, let’s see what today’s two contenders have to say.
Hontambere Pouchegu 1995 54,8%
Cask B4 from Hontambere RAC collection. Domaine de Pouchegu is a closed Tenareze distillery, and Hontambere bought old stocks to preserve as much as possible of this unique style. 1995 vintage, bottled in 2025.
Colour: Dark amber, orange lights. Irregular heavy tears.
Nose: Ample fruitiness right from the start, with delicate floral hints. Strong Ténarèze DNA, mixing floral brightness and chalky impressions. Candied citrus follows, alongside round chocolate notes. A rather heady profile overall, the alcohol could be slightly better integrated at this stage.
Palate: Very oily texture. Floral tones confirm the nose, delivering a bold but finely drawn Armagnac. Earthy bitterness emerges, on yuzu and orange peel. Tannins are present and opulent, yet remain reasonably controlled. Good balance between power and finesse.
Last notes: With air, subtle tea-ish notes appear, along with light cigar aromas. Vivid tangerine juice and appealing cocoa notes. On the finish, a welcome kick of acidity brings freshness and zest. A drop of water helps open the profile and improves precision.
A very interesting Tenareze, bold and vivid at the same time. I slightly miss depth and definition to push the score higher.
88/100
Swell de Spirits Flashback Series #5 Mestepes Bas-Armagnac 1990 58,1%
This Bas-Armagnac was distilled in 1990 at Domaine de Mestepès and bottled by Swell de Spirits as part of their Flashback Series. Made from a multi-grape blend, it was aged for over 30 years (bottled in December 2022) before being released at cask strength.
Colour: Dark amber, orange lights. Irregular heavy tears.
Nose: Opulent oak presence blended with candied red fruits, cherry and strawberry, and strong ristretto notes. Slightly mushroomy at times, but clearly focused on the coffee spectrum. Wet rancio follows, with damp cellar and oud-like impressions. Subtle toffee notes linger in the background.
Palate: Powerful and structured. Heavy tannins and intense peppery notes dominate, with strong cigar aromas in the aftertaste. Salty and smoky nuances appear, which I’m not really used to finding in an armagnac. Nutty undertones evoke unexpected parallels with something like a Kilkerran 8yo.
Last notes: With air, leathery notes become more prominent. The high ABV feels rather aggressive here. Briny olive oil, black pepper and paprika return. A few mentholated touches emerge, and with a drop of water, some caramel-sweet notes show up. The finish leans toward precious woods and licorice.
A disturbing Bas-Armagnac, but in a good way. The peppery and smoky character is fascinating and quite singular. With better integration of wood and alcohol, this could have gone significantly higher.
86+/100
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