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Produced by Taylor Fladgate, believed to be Morgan 1994. Dark in colour, comparable with the Graham and Noval; dark on the rim. Lovely ripe and sweet loganberries on the nose with a fresh cut-grass undertone. Luscious and sweet impact in the mouth, with dry tannins coming through in the mid-palate and the strange green pithy undertone seen in the Noval. Lots of orange in the mix. Dry and tannic aftertaste, bringing rough cherry stones to mind. One of the few wines not showing many signs of being closed. A little short on the finish, but another which will probably be better in 5 years. 91/100. Drunk 8 September 2009.

IIRC Morgan was (is?) a label of Croft, right? Back in 1994 Croft was not yet a part of the Fladgate imperium, so technically this couldn't be a Morgan. Maybe Skeffington?

Ronnie

As far as I know (which is not far at all without my books), everything that you say is right.

However, when Taylor bought the Morgan port brand, they also bought considerable stocks of middle aged bottles of Morgan Borthers vintage port. A sizeable portion of these were sold off through Christies in February 2007 but TFP were left with still more. As I understand it, and reading between the lines of the Marks & Spencers labels (especially the older labels) on their vintage port bottles, the M&S port has traditionally been the Morgan Brothers blend and this is continuing today only under the Taylor's generic production company.

However, I may be wrong and this could now be Skeffington or even Delaforce. It certainly didn't smell like a mature Morgan - but that could be because it wasn't a mature Morgan. It didn't smell like the Skeffington 1994, either.

Who knows what it is. Maybe one day we will be able to find out for sure.

Ah, I didn't realise it was a recent release. In that case it certainly makes sense. It was the sentence "produced by" that put me on the wrong trail, since Taylor never produced the 1994 Morgan, but they could of course, have sold it.

Very closed nose. Oranges in the mouth immediately made me think of Croft. A light style which is very easy to drink now but with a tannic dryness in the finish that should keep it ticking along for years to come.

Incidentally, all other M&S BOBs that I have seen that were produced by Morgan Brothers (1989, 1991 and 1970) all said Morgan in the smallprint of the M&S label. The fact that this one did not, nor any other brand name, makes me think it isn't Morgan and is perhaps just a secondary blend produced by one of the TFP houses.

OK, it was dark so the eye test was marred. It was an outside tasting so ignore that...

Mouth...slightly burned flavour in a pleasant way. Oranges underneath the flavour, very chewy with a front loaded hit. A cherry pithiness with the dryness of a Dow. This was a blind taste test.

Voted 90/100 against some big hitters. Behind a Martinex and a Graham's only in the horizontal. Would happily drink it all night despite the comparatively low score.

D+5 days.

A sample bottle was taken home and due to a hectic personal life, I've only just got around to it.

Eye: Still same darkness but good wide legs and very clingy.
Nose: Incredibly spirity in fact almost fumey but little else.
Mouth: Very spirity. Some heat to the mid palate and reasonable length. Not unpleasant at all but comparatively hollow.

Summary: It is definitely port and is still enjoyable but past its best. Don't save it; quaff it or don't open it in the first place.