1985 Graham

[RAYC]

On Thursday 27th October 2011, at The Crusting Pipe, StevieCage and RonnieRoots held a tasting with AHB, jdaw1 and RAYC.

Links:
Review of the evening as a whole
1985 Graham (bottle 1)
1985 Graham (bottle 2)
1985 Fonseca
1983 Offley Boa Vista
1977 Niepoort
1970 Gould Campbell
1998 Dow quinta do Bomfim
Planning and arrangements

[RAYC]

Bottle 2

Purchased recently at BBR, decanted @ 10.00am (T-9hrs)

Softer, smoother and rounder fruitiness than the other bottle, with delicate spiciness and long finish. More mature, i felt, but really this did not taste at all like Bottle 1, even unblinded. The other bottle perhaps slightly more interesting, and therefore having the edge. But this was a good port, and put on a good showing **** (90)

Guessed as Warre 77, Fonseca Guimaraens 87, Smith Woodhouse 80 and Delaforce 77

[AHB]

Medium red in colour, fading on the rim; 50% opaque. Sweet on the nose, with violets and red licorice. Very sweet entry, then dry on the mid-palate. Very spicy, with some heat and some soft tannins. Plenty of dry strawberry in the mid-palate and the development is gentle. Hot aftertaste, with a strong and spicy finish of good length that brings lots of aniseed flavours. Served blind, I guessed this to be SW80; others guessed W77, FG87, Df77. 10 hours decant. Drunk 27 October 2011. 89/100.

[jdaw1]

G85, RAYC: 60% opaque, red fading to pink at edge. Heat. Mid-to-light. Surprisingly little fruit. Another junior 1977? Oh no—G85 again!