The Graham’s Vertical, 22nd March 2010

[jdaw1]

• Placemats;
• 1980 Graham’s;
• 1985 Graham’s;
• Review of the tasting as a whole.

[jdaw1]

Long-anticipated, The Graham’s Vertical, This fine Symington shipper, is, as you know, famous for its sweet black-fruit flavours and full-weight high-Baumé pleasures. If you don’t like Graham’s port, then you don’t like port.

Two guests of honour blessed us with their presence. We were most grateful to be joined by, and for the entertaining and informative comments of, the author of Pricing Money, which as you know is the textbook introduction to the fixed-income markets—explaining the purpose and design of the most important financial instruments, including deposits, bonds, futures and swaps, and how these instruments are used by the various players in the financial system.

Also in attendance was the woman who was once the prettiest chiropractor in New York.

Alas, because there were too few seats at The Graham’s Vertical, this unhappy circumstance required that some some drinkers be relegated to the Malvedos annexe, featuring Graham’s second name. And on behalf of those people, I thank Derek (and his anonymous American sidekick) for agreeing to butle to the Second Classers. That we could not all drink together is embarrassing, but I thank you for accepting in good grace the imperfections of your fate.

In the words of the Supreme Commander Port-Drinking Forces France, “you drew the short straw: suck it up. Maybe next time.”

[jdaw1]

Well, the evening proceeded as expected—approximately nothing happened. SCP-DFF planned the spending of huge sums of money; the birthday girl used her father as a climbing frame; the boy demonstrated expert crawling; the old dog barely moved.

Alas G85 showed disappointingly; the G80 was closed but fine drinking.

[Glenn E.]

the old dog barely moved.

As is to be expected, as you presumably had a glass of Port in each hand.

[jdaw1]

Libel! I am perfectly capable of moving whilst holding a glass of port in each hand, even two in each. Three in each, I admit, starts to get heavy.

[DRT]

Graham’s...famous for its sweet black-fruit flavours and full-weight high-Baumé pleasures.

So why does there seem to have been so much bitterness around on this fine evening?