Which Aged Tawny should I try?

[Eric C]

Hello fellow port lovers,

I´m looking to get my hands on some bottles of aged tawny (10 or 20 year old, I may go for the 30 and 40 year old too). I´m open for any suggestion. What are the ones you think are a must (knowing that each one has probably a different taste)?

[Glenn E.]

The normal response is to recommend Ferreira's Duque de Braganca 20 Year Old Tawny Port. It's a shining example of what a 20-yr old can be, and is reasonably available around the world. Sandeman's 20-yr old is another great example but on the brighter and more acidic end of the spectrum. Noval's 20-yr old would be on the softer, mellower, and nuttier end of the spectrum.

Surprising everyone who participated, Taylor's 20-yr old won the 20 Year Old Tawny Taste-Off a couple of years ago. In my opinion it is a fairly conservative example of a 20-yr old, by which I mean that it doesn't push the envelope or stretch any boundaries. Their strategy must be the same as that of the most successful competition BBQ cook in the PNWBA who, when asked for advice on how to cook competition BBQ, simply replies "offend no one." It makes your product seem sort of bland and uninteresting to a true aficionado, but almost everyone will enjoy it.

On the hard-to-find end of the spectrum, Quinta do Mourao's S. Leonardo 20 Year Old Tawny Port is truly sublime. If you can find it, I highly recommend a bottle.

[Moses Botbol]

For easy to find I like Ferreira, Taylor, Ramos Pinto, Noval, and Sandeman.

[Eric C]

Thanks. I´ve tried a 10 Year Old Tawny from Alves de Sousa lately and have found it wonderful. I´ve heard, inclunding here on ftlop, now and then a higly recommendation for the Tawnies from Quinta do Mourao's S. Leonardo, Quinta da Romaniero and Porto Valriz. More suggestions are welcome

[Roy Hersh]

Hi Eric,



Quinta do Portal, Noval, Taylor's, Sandeman, Graham's, and Ramos Pinto are all very popular names to seek out for reasonably priced producers, that are widely available too.

[Eric C]

Hi Roy,

Thank you for your reply, butt I do not think you´re not worthy though

Anyway, I somehow remember reading on this wunderful forum for port, somebody saying (I think it was you Roy), that there is one particular port maker which is kind of specialized in Aged Tawny Port and who makes perfect, if not the best, aged tawnies. Can´t remember the name anymore, but it could have been S. Leonardo though.

[Andy Velebil]

Hi Roy,
that there is one particular port maker which is kind of specialized in Aged Tawny Port and who makes perfect, if not the best, aged tawnies. Can´t remember the name anymore, but it could have been S. Leonardo though.

Many of us have spoken about S. Leonardo for some years now here on . They do make some wonderful Tawny's with an indication of age. If you can find some you won't be disappointed.

[Eric C]

Thanks Andy,

I will try to get my hands on them

[John Danza]

My standard answer when someone asks what Tawnys I like is "if I'm paying, I go with 20 year wines. If someone else is paying, I go with 40 year wines".

Seriously, I really like the Taylor 20. I also like Graham 20.

[Gary Banker]

I'm surprised that nobody has suggested Niepoort 20 year tawny. I haven't seen it in several years, but it was my favorite.

[Eric C]

I'm surprised that nobody has suggested Niepoort 20 year tawny. I haven't seen it in several years, but it was my favorite.

This is actually one which I must try out yet. The Niepoort "Aged" Tawny is pretty expensive here, compared to Taylor´s or Graham´s.

[Andy Velebil]

I'm surprised that nobody has suggested Niepoort 20 year tawny. I haven't seen it in several years, but it was my favorite.

I really love this one but I rarely buy it as it typically is significantly more money than all other's. It's typically around the $75 mark, where most others are in the $45-55 range. That's a big mark up when I can get a different producers product, that is of a comparable quality, for $20-25 less per bottle.