NV Quevedo Tawny 20YO (bottled 2020)

[Mike J. W.]

Color: Red with a hint of Brown, Rim: Light Brown, Meniscus: Thin, Weight (Viscosity): Medium, Nose: Burnt Sugar, Charred Wood, Leather, Maple, Nuts, Prunes, Taste: Burnt Sugar, Charred Wood, Cigar Ash, Eucalyptus, Figs, Hazelnuts, Maple, Oak, Orange, Pepper, Raisins, Acidity: Sharp, Late, Sweetness Level: Dry with the barest hint of sweetness, Early, Mid-palate, Late, Finish: Long, Smooth. Bottled 2020.

This is a much different 20 year-old than what you typically see. Just like their '92 Colheita had a different profile than most other Colheitas. I've come to realize that Quevedo just marches to the beat of a different drum with their Ports. That's not a bad thing, it's just different. George's note on the Quevedo 1972 Colheita made the light bulb in my head turn on (and these days, that doesn't happen very often). It convinced me that Quevedo's style (at least to me) is to produce Madeira like Tawnies.

This 20 year-old was dry, smooth and yet very acidic. There were all kinds of flavors melded together producing a cross between a Bual and a Tawny. It wasn't very sweet but it held my attention nonetheless. It has a long, dry, acidic finish that goes on for a good minute. I'd score this 92 points.