has anyone ever seen or heard of a bottle of "Japan Madeira"? It was brought in barrel to Japan by JOHN McINTOSH KELL in the 1840s and then bottled and sold after he returned to the States.
Ernie
Japan Madeira
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Eric Ifune
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I've not heard of it, but in that period Madeiras were often given the names of the ship which imported them, or when handed down in a family even given "pet" names such as "Aunt Lucy's Delight." Your wine sounds something like that. One other thing, Commadore Perry opened Japan in 1853 so I'm not sure where the name or story came from.
Japan Madeira
Sorry I mistyped the date. The guy was a famous Confederate war hero, notorious for sinking unarmed merchant vessels. In fact, I have a copy of an invoice from an English wine merchant to Jefferson Davis for wine lost from a ship he sank. Even if he had been paid which he wasn't it would have been in Confederate dollars...
Kell wrote a book which is posted on the internet. His house was burned down by invading Union Soldiers but his grateful slaves hid the madeira in the basement and he survived after the war by selling off individual bottles until the turn of the century when he died.
A portion of his wine was presented to the Secretary of the Navy upon his return after joining Perry.
Kell wrote a book which is posted on the internet. His house was burned down by invading Union Soldiers but his grateful slaves hid the madeira in the basement and he survived after the war by selling off individual bottles until the turn of the century when he died.
A portion of his wine was presented to the Secretary of the Navy upon his return after joining Perry.
There have been some amazing Madeiras owned or transported by the USA Navy. I opened one of my bottles which was from General Sherman's visit to the island of Madeira. Actually turned out to be a great bottle that was somewhere between a Sercial and Verdelho. It was vinified in 1852, so around the same time but was bottled in 1871 to commemorate the Sherman visit to the island.
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Aaron Nix Gomez
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Re: Japan Madeira
I haven't posted to FTLOP in years but since I have recently be digging into historic Madeira sales I thought I would expand upon the "Japan" Madeira.
Major A. M. Hancock, who was a friend of both President Filmore and John Pendleton Kennedy, Secretary of the Navy. According to Major Hancock, Commodore Perry informed the President he would be stopping at Madeira on his way to Japan. President Filmore gave the order to Commodore Perry to purchase a cask of Madeira for his Cabinet. Commodore Perry was at Funchal from Dec 12, 1852, through December 15, 1852. Major Hancock believed the purchased Madeira was a few years old at that point. Upon Commodore Perry's return, the Madeira was given to the former President Filmore then eventually to Mr. Kennedy. During the Civil War, Mr. Kennedy put it in demijohns so it could be transported to NYC for safekeeping.
Upon Mr. Kennedey's death his cellar with 327 bottles of Madeira was auctioned off in Baltimore in 1896. This included 207 bottles of undated "Japan" Madeira of which Mr. W. W. Spence bought the entire lot for $2.60 per bottle. For comparison the 1833 Dun & Co. sold for $6.50 per bottle.
John McIntosh Kell purchased several quarter-casks of South Side Madeira during the voyage with Commodore Perry. Mr. Kell bottled it upon return and had it hidden during the Civil War. He sold some of the bottles, as well as drank them with family throughout the 18th century.
Aaron
Major A. M. Hancock, who was a friend of both President Filmore and John Pendleton Kennedy, Secretary of the Navy. According to Major Hancock, Commodore Perry informed the President he would be stopping at Madeira on his way to Japan. President Filmore gave the order to Commodore Perry to purchase a cask of Madeira for his Cabinet. Commodore Perry was at Funchal from Dec 12, 1852, through December 15, 1852. Major Hancock believed the purchased Madeira was a few years old at that point. Upon Commodore Perry's return, the Madeira was given to the former President Filmore then eventually to Mr. Kennedy. During the Civil War, Mr. Kennedy put it in demijohns so it could be transported to NYC for safekeeping.
Upon Mr. Kennedey's death his cellar with 327 bottles of Madeira was auctioned off in Baltimore in 1896. This included 207 bottles of undated "Japan" Madeira of which Mr. W. W. Spence bought the entire lot for $2.60 per bottle. For comparison the 1833 Dun & Co. sold for $6.50 per bottle.
John McIntosh Kell purchased several quarter-casks of South Side Madeira during the voyage with Commodore Perry. Mr. Kell bottled it upon return and had it hidden during the Civil War. He sold some of the bottles, as well as drank them with family throughout the 18th century.
Aaron
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Ernie Singer
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Re: Japan Madeira
Thanks for the reply. I learned about the Japan madeira from the biography of John Kell. Still looking for a bottle and wonder if there is a possibility that any still exist?
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Aaron Nix Gomez
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Re: Japan Madeira
You are welcome. The names given to lots of Madeira and the famous cellars they were stored in make it great fun to track the sales of the wine. I haven't done any thorough searching but my brief research led me to believe there was none left. But you never know!