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From the double-horizontal, 1983 and 1985, on Saturday 13 September 2008 at the home of jfacciol in Brooklyn.

• Planning and arrangements;
• Placemats;
• Review of the evening as a whole;
• 1983 Dow;
• 1985 Dow;
• 1983 Fonseca;
• 1985 Fonseca;
• 1983 Gould Campbell;
• 1985 Gould Campbell;
• 1983 Graham’s;
• 1985 Graham’s;
• 1983 Noval Nacional;
• 1985 Noval Nacional.

Dow 1985: Starting to lose its color but still somewhat dark, less hot on the nose than the 83, but to me a little less fruity. Out of the 83's and 85's we had this evening, the Dow pair seemed to be most similar in style. The 85 struck me as a little more tannic and closed, but it still had the same strong prune and bitter chocolate flavor that I liked. Excellent!

Dow 1985: translucent, and slightly lighter than brick red, with, to smell, far more fruit than the D83. Red fruit, maybe cherry and strawberry. But very dry to taste, very tannic, the same red fruits, great length. Very good, if one likes Dow’s drier style.

+0 Very spirity, w/ raspberry and caramel undertones
+13 chocolate, caramel, with a faint taste of oranges.

+22 (@tasting) Visually clear and slightly lighter ruby color, the Dow's 85 had a gentle fruit and chocolate nose. In the mouth it was dry, starting with chocolate and finishing with a mellow spice, with a hint of cherry in the middle and nice body and structure throughout. (95)

The finished product...


Early in decanting: Moldy cork


Early in decanting: Residue under closure.

jdaw1 wrote:Dow 1985: translucent, and slightly lighter than brick red, with, to smell, far more fruit than the D83. Red fruit, maybe cherry and strawberry. But very dry to taste, very tannic, the same red fruits, great length. Very good, if one likes Dow’s drier style.

Certainly one of Dow's drier vintages.

Ruby with a brownish tinge, with slight bricking around the edges.

Ripe pear amongst a greenish grassy nose with backdrop of lavender.

Milky chocolate mouth feel with baked strawberries followed by dry tannins.

20 second finish that hints coffee.

91