1978 Souza

[uncle tom]

A lone bottle, part of a mixed lot aquired a few months ago.

Front of bottle stencilled, with a paper back label that tells me it was bottled by Viera de Souza & Ca.

Decanted a couple of days ago.

On decanting, very brown, but not unduly pale for it's age, moderate amount of fine sediment.

Appalling bottle stink. My habit of sipping the dregs had to be abruptly curtailed, as they were really quite foul.

D + 2hrs - bad nose still, possibly slightly corked, contemplating ditching the bottle.

D + 4hrs - still not good, but not as bad as before; colour improving - the nose and palate remind me of the smell of dry rot.

D + 24hrs - a moderately OK quaff now, but to put it into perspective, the little Delaforce Paramount miniatures that I've been quaffing as stop gaps are miles better.

Unfair to score as it is probably a duff bottle; but I won't be rushing out to buy more..

Tom