For The Love Of Port

A brick/burnt orange color at the center fading to a light amber rim. The nose is full of dates, dark caramel and toasted walnuts with higher-toned marmalade, dried cherry and spice notes intermingling - very enjoyable. Very good concentration of flavor on the palate with the same date/caramel/nut profile coming across and then giving way to some tangy dried fruit and tangerine. The acidity surfaces on the mid-palate, keeping the sweetness and heat well in check and carries the finish on for a very long time leaving notes of dried figs lingering in my mouth for well over a minute after sipping.

This has gained some elegance and complexity since being opened yesterday and I find myself liking it more with each glass. The length of finish is particularly impressive. Delicious 20yr tawny! 93/94pts

This is my personal favorite 20 year old Tawny. I find it a bit hot for a day or so once opened and the following days with some air in the head space of the bottle, this slowly decants on its own and just the oxidation of two days brings out the very best. Day 3, wow! I look forward to your further impressions.

Roy,

I would have to agree. A few days of air have given the nose a more lifted quality and the heat is nicely integrated. Great stuff - I'm already down to about a third of the bottle

Lamont,
Glad you liked this bottle so much and I have to agree with your note 100%. This is one of the top 20 year old tawny's and one of my favorites. I opened a bottle of this recently and it was superb as always.

8 days later and this has only become more impressive. Today I'm getting brown sugar, cream soda, marzipan and nougat on the nose... outstanding. I think I'm starting to see the reason for the praise. And ummm.... yes, I'm drinking port for lunch

Lamont Huxley wrote:And ummm.... yes, I'm drinking port for lunch

Well it isn't just for breakfast anymore!

Lamont Huxley wrote:8 days later and this has only become more impressive. Today I'm getting brown sugar, cream soda, marzipan and nougat on the nose... outstanding. I think I'm starting to see the reason for the praise. And ummm.... yes, I'm drinking port for lunch

You're in the second peak! For me, most tawnies are best on days 1-3 and then again on days 7-10.

Glenn E. wrote:You're in the second peak! For me, most tawnies are best on days 1-3 and then again on days 7-10.

I agree! I also see this in Tawnies.
-Dave-

Well it isn't just for breakfast anymore!

I had never heard this expression before but my wife used it almost exactly, today on my Facebook page when writing about a Madeira I had before breakfast last Friday morning. Now here it is again ... for the 2nd time. It must be nearing another Blue Moon.

Roy Hersh wrote:

Well it isn't just for breakfast anymore!

I had never heard this expression before but my wife used it almost exactly, today on my Facebook page when writing about a Madeira I had before breakfast last Friday morning. Now here it is again ... for the 2nd time. It must be nearing another Blue Moon.

I've always heard it as "Beer, it's not just for breakfast anymore." but I think port works just as well.

I heard it originally as a slogan for OJ in the 1970s, from one of the Florida citrus marketing organizations. I can't find them on the web now, but found an image with their tree logo from back when they sponsored the Tangerine Bowl in 1980.

Brings back an image of ... Anita Bryant.