ThePortForum.com

The annual Christmas event, this instance on Thursday 15th December 2011, as always in The Bell, Wendens Ambo, Essex CB11 4JY, and as always with the theme The Unknown Shipper and His Peculiar Friends.

Links:

• Review of the evening as a whole;
• 10Y Taylor tawny (warm-up);
• 1860 Cossart Gordon Sercial solera (sticky label #1);
• 1945 Quinta do Noval (sticky label #2);
• 1860 A.L.S. Boal (sticky label #3);
• 1940 Dalva colheita bottled 1978 (sticky label #4);
• 1960 Cockburn (sticky label #5);
• Niepoort Vinha Velha (sticky label #6);
• 1935 Croft (sticky label #7);
• 1924 Offley Boa Vista (sticky label #8);
• 1927 Taylor (sticky label #9);
• 30Y Casa Santa Eufemia White (sticky label #12);
• 40Y Quinta do Noval tawny (sticky label #15);
• 1922 Warre (sticky label #19);
• 1922 Martinez (sticky label #20);
• 1955 Quinta do Noval (sticky label #21);
• 1977 Berry Bros & Rudd (Quarles Harris);
• 2003 Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference;
• 1911 Clos de Vougeot;
• 2005 Niepoort Robustus magnum;
• ‘Placemats’, meaning stickers and tasting-note sheets;
• Planning and arrangements.

Slightly cloudy, light coloured rim. Very fruity nose, lots of seemingly youthful fruit but with a streak of menthol. Sweet, balanced entry with red licorice on the palate; terrific balance and plenty of fruit. Some licorice / aniseed on the aftertaste and then a lovely finish. Absolutely delightful. 93/100.

Cherry red fading to translucence around the edge. Good sweet porty nose, with some red currants. In nicely balanced sweetness with rounded fruits. Very nice drinking now.

Although Rob was disappointed that this didn’t turn out to be a Taylor 1935 as ‟believed”, this bottle was on excellent form for any label and was one of the best 1960s I’ve tried.

Pink and cloudy with a bad nose. Thick and bitter. Everyone seemed to like this apart from me, which I can't explain.