As you like it, Williams and Humbert Amontillado

[LGTrotter]

A reasonably regular drink, considering it has a price tag of around £22 for a half. Bought during the 25% off from Waitrose which makes it a bit more bearable and accompanied by an Orlean de Rennette apple and a scrap of Millstone cheese from Wootton Dairy; this combination is perfect for a troll round and a snigger at Alex's notes on claret.

Medium sweet is what it says on the bottle, it has a lot of sweetness which seems cut mainly by the salty tang which I associate with madeira rather than sherry. An excellent length with citrus and (wait for it) pleasant petrol notes on the finish. There is something else like pontefract cakes or esters going on which I can't quite put my finger on. Very complex and still fresh, it is to me a very highbrow version of 'old brown sherry' I have known and loved.

I baulk a little at the price and considering how much of this wine I have seen for sale all I can say is that if it did indeed come from one lot it must have been a very big one, however what price contentment?

I wonder if it would improve with keeping, as some sherry is supposed to, I doubt I would have the self control to try the experiment. Not sure about the score but well over 90.

[AW77]

An excellent length with citrus and (wait for it) pleasant petrol notes on the finish.

I'm really glad that you seem to begin taking a liking to petrol notes.

I think sherries are meant to be consumed when bottled. They are not meant to be laid down. So I wouldn't take any chances with them. You just ruin a good bottle of fine wine. Besides, last year I tasted a 1970 Oloroso when I visited Bodegas Tradicion in Jerez. This was a sherry that was kept in a cask like a Colheita. The 30 Anos Oloroso shown alongside that was produced with the traditional Solera method (and that was on average 50 years old as I was told) was much more pleasant and tastier than the rather worn Single Harvest Sherry.

[LGTrotter]

Yes Andre I was thinking of you, Riesling and Daniel when I mentioned petrol notes. But they were there.

And I know what you mean about those single dated sherrys. I have also found old madeira soleras more drinkable than their equivalent in age vintage wines. Note I did not say better.

But I have a hankering at times for old brown sherry. Having ended up with the odd bottle of sherry from auction there is something reminiscent of polished mahogany furniture about them which I find most attractive. But I have probably got my rose tinted spectacles on about this. Nostalgia; it ain't what it used to be.