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On Tuesday 14th May 2024, as arranged by Martin C., at the Boot & Flogger, some of the obvious suspects tasted a vertical of Graham.

Links:

• Review of the evening as a whole;
• Tasting notes:
  • 1942 Graham;
  • 1945 Graham;
  • 1948 Graham;
  • 1955 Graham;
  • 1960 Graham;
  • 1963 Graham;
  • 1966 Graham;
  • 1970 Graham;
  • 1975 Graham;
  • 1977 Graham;
  • 1980 Graham;
  • 1983 Graham;
  • 1985 Graham;
  • 1991 Graham;
  • 1994 Graham;
  • 1997 Graham;
  • 2000 Graham;
  • 2003 Graham;
• The placemats;
• Planning and arrangements.

Fully mature, orange rim. Cherry nose with added tinned strawberry. Lovely fruit washing across your tongue like a tide coming in. Just a hint of heat on the finish.

George and I tasted this very differently.

G42, having been decanted 20 minutes before first tasted. Red-pink, 40% opaque. Nose had no fruit. Initially palate intensely bitter, and oddly so, with spearmint and aniseed. Later it had softened and become gentler, but was still bitter, still powerfully so. It was good mature old Port, but not longer great. A previous G42 has been better.

Graham 1942, bottled in Oporto in 1945. Initially tasted Pop and Pour, which did the wine absolutely no favours. The bottle had clearly been rewaxed although the cork appeared to original. First tasting note taken 10 minutes after decanting: a wonderful copper-red colour, 30% opaque. Gentle on the nose with spiced fruit, tobacco and sweet redcurrant. Some bitterness on the palate, with the alcohol showing strongly. A nice, bitter kumquat finish. This is a glass to leave and come back to later, perhaps the palate will improve.

After 2.5 hours in the glass this had changed so much. Much better on the nose with so much more complexity and spice (although a little dry). Lovely fruit on the palate with the wine make in a slightly drier style. Elegant, if a little watery in texture but still very tasty. Lots of generous dried fruit on the aftertaste but the finish is medium length rather than a long finish. 94/100. Tasted 14-May-2024.

G42. Light strawberry with some fine sediment in the glass. Nose is slightly sour but otherwise smells like an old Port. The palate is soft, smooth, and very pleasant, but initially has a faint metallic note. That metallic note disappeared over time - it might have just needed some air. Still some serviceable, fully mature fruits to be found along with some faint baking spices. 95 points.

A nice orange rim to this Port. Nose initially muted, though improved greatly as the evening progressed to show some red fruit. Same re palate, improving from muted/mildly bitter to solid old Port, albeit not as grippy as I'd hoped for. 1/2 pt awarded.

30% opacity, orange-brown. Lovely complexity, fresh, apricots, great balance, silky, olaginous, some cinnamon in the finish. Good mature old port.