1995 Smith Woodhouse LBV Port

[Andy Velebil]

1995 Smith Woodhouse LBV. Got off early for the starting Labor Day weekend so decanted two hours ago when I got home. Blueberry nose. Very dark color still. Medium bodied. Allspice, licorice, menthol, and a little dose of typical soapiness when a Ruby transitions into older age. Mostly resolved tannins and moderate acidity. Medium length finish is a mix of drying plums, eucalyptus and leather. 88/100

[Glenn E.]

I used to love this LBV! Have you had it before, and did this seem typical to you? I recall it being much better than 88 points, but it's been quite a while since I've had one.

[Paul C. Metman]

I used to love this LBV! Have you had it before, and did this seem typical to you? I recall it being much better than 88 points, but it's been quite a while since I've had one.

So did I !! I had it about 12 (!!) times between 2012 and 2018 and my lowest score was 92, a few times 93 and all others 94 or even 95!! I remember it being incredibly deep coloured and full of fruit.

[Andy Velebil]

Maybe the bottle was off, or my palate, or it was a full moon. I just don’t know (Read that last part thinking how Pee Wee Herman said it…may he RIP)

[LOUISSS J]

Maybe too old? I have never experienced old LBVs (more than 15 years old) but for me also Smith Woodhouse LBVs are among my favorites (2002, 2003, 2004 and 2008 on more than 10 times). They were around 12-14 years old and they were all in balance.
With almost 30 years I would be curious to taste.
The last one I drank was a 2008 in the summer of 2020 (so it was 12).

[John M.]

Also a favorite of mine, especially when just starting my Port journey. Usually rated in the 92-95 range. Exceptional LBV.

As to older LBVs Mike W and I are long range planning to do an LBV tasting of all pre 2000 Ports.

And I have one bottle left which will be included herein.

Happy Labor Day!!

[Eric Menchen]

Maybe too old? I have never experienced old LBVs (more than 15 years old) but for me also Smith Woodhouse LBVs are among my favorites (2002, 2003, 2004 and 2008 on more than 10 times)...

In 2019 I opened a 1992 Smith Woodhouse LBV and scored it a respectable 93 points.
And this year I put a 1994 Smith Woodhouse LBV into a blind tasting where I scored it 94+ points.
So there's that.

I have more of those, a 1994 Warres, and a 1974 Warres that I'm looking forward to some day. No rush really, except maybe the 1974.

[Glenn E.]

Maybe too old? I have never experienced old LBVs (more than 15 years old) but for me also Smith Woodhouse LBVs are among my favorites (2002, 2003, 2004 and 2008 on more than 10 times). They were around 12-14 years old and they were all in balance.

Maybe? But I doubt it unless it was just variation in this particular bottle. For me, LBV definitely ages more quickly than VP, but I would still say that an unfiltered LBV needs 15-20 years to even reach maturity, and then will hold there easily for another 10-15 years. So at 28 years old it should be smack in the middle of its peak for me. As a general rule of thumb I probably wouldn't intentionally age an LBV past 35 or 40, but I've had them that old and the ones I've had were still delicious.

That said, I do like my Ruby Ports well-aged, so your experience would be different if you like them younger. At least for me, a VP doesn't really start to hit its stride until it is at least 30 years old and "bigger" ones will need 40 years for me. 1991 and 1992 are just starting to really shine for me. 1994s are in general much bigger wines, so I feel like they still have a ways to go (though bottle variation has some of them starting to wake up - I had a 1994 Vesuvio a few months ago that I thought was among the best I'd ever had).