On Dec 11, 12:20*pm, "Bill S." > wrote:
> Notes from a wonderful and enlightening Port tasting arranged by Jim
> Roberston, a long time fan of Taylors Port. *The wines spanned 30
> years and represented four different decades, or if you include the
> Scion, 156 years and 16 decades. *We tasted every issued vintage of
> Taylors between 1955 and 1985.

> 1955 – these wines had been split into two for back to back tasting
> the previous day, and the second half was placed in a sealed half
> bottle and kept cool, and I’d think if anything, they’d probably
> profited from any additional oxidation they’d picked up in that
> process. *They hadn’t had any great opportunity to air, therefore, and
> we had to give them the time to do so. *This one showed initially as
> pale, spirity and elegant, but with time in the glass developed much
> more character. I got a notable floral element in the nose, and some
> anise. Medium bodied and medium length. Treating the wines from 1955
> through 1966 as a flight, this was the second favourite of many.
> Tasty.

Thanks for the notes on the 1955, as I have a bottle of it. I also
have a bottle of Taylor's 1935 which was considered outstanding in the
past, but I have not tasted it yet. Hopefully it is holding well. The
unopened bottle has a good fill and is not leaking. I only have 2
bottles of port older than the Taylor's 1935. One is Quinta do Noval
1931. The other is Cockburn's 1908 which was re-corked in the UK. In
general, I like old vintage Madeira better than old vintage Port and
have quite a few bottles back to Bual Vintage 1827, Quinta do Serrado.
When I bought 1880s and early 1900s vintage Madeira many years ago, it
was a good buy compared to most other old wines. These old vintage
Madeiras have become very much more expensive and difficult to find,
so I have not bought any in many years now. I have found that for many
old vintage ports one may have to say they are interesting and good
for their age. Such is usually not the case for even very old vintage
Madeira that was in good repute in the first place when younger.