ThePortForum.com

In honour of the visit of Ronnie Roots, a few regulars gathered in The Bung Hole to sample some 1970 ports.

Links:

• Review of the evening as a whole;
• 1970 Dow;
• 1970 Fonseca;
• 1970 Graham;
• 1970 Sandeman;
• 1970 Taylor;
• 1970 Warre;
• 1970 Cockburn;
• 1970 Offley Boa Vista;
• 1970 Royal Oporto;
• 1970 Royal Oporto Carvalhas;
• Placemats;
• Planning and organisation.

Very pale, light orange rim and a butterscotch coloured centre. Unpleasant nose of burnt butterscotch and cabbage. Empty, neutral entry, very light flavours, nothing but light brown sugar. Very light palate. Dried out on the immediate aftertaste, before a very long finish of brown sugar. Very bland, except for the finish. 80/100. 6 hour decant.

Wow, quite a different showing than the bottle Tom opened when I last visited (or was it two visits ago??).

Possibly even lighter in colour than the regular Royal Oporto. Dusty nose with very little else. Perhaps a hint of strawberries if you really want to smell it. Very dilute on the palate, some tea leaves, glycerol and generally quite hot. Definitely worse than the Royal Oporto. Not liked at all, and not popular at the table with second helpings.

ROC70, decanted 13:00. Pink-brown, 10% opaque. Nose had only heat. Taste smooth, then heat on tongue. Floral. Light but long.