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Axel proposed a “Small 1966 Horizontal” to be held on Tuesday 22^nd April 2014 at The Bung Hole, and we obeyed.

Links:

• Review of the event as a whole;
• 1966 Souza colheita bottled 1992;
• 1966 Constantino;
• 1966 Croft;
• 1966 Delaforce;
• 1966 Dow;
• 1966 Fonseca;
• 1966 Gould Campbell;
• 1966 Graham;
• 1966 Niepoort;
• 1966 Quinta do Noval;
• 1966 Offley;
• 1966 Quarles Harris;
• 1966 Rebello Valente;
• 1966 Sandeman;
• 1966 Taylor;
• 1966 Warre;
• 1966 Niepoort colheita bottled 1985;
• Niepoort Crusted;
• Placemats (and parameters by which made);
• Planning and arrangements.

30% brown-orange. Not much on the nose for me. Sweet entry, then quick to some heat. Spiritous finish.

I haven't tasted many Noval vintages, but I have yet to taste one that I like. That seems odd.

N66. Lovely red, 40% to 50% opaque. Nose closed. Palate soft, with heat mid-palate. Set honey, and berries. Later very smooth, but simpler.

Deep in colour, bricking rim; 50% opaque. Slight nose of torrefacted raisins. Good thick texture. A touch of hollowness on the entry but it quickly blooms to give a deep and complex palate. Mature, spicy and hot, full of brown sugar and clover honey. A sour twist on the aftertaste, a sourness that runs throughout the finish. Good length. 89/100. Decanted 8 hours.

This was dark and rich, not as deep as the Fonseca tasted on this evening (link above), no ruby. Varnish and light jellyishness on the nose. I wrote little else: "hot but not peppery".