This bottle is number 907 out of a limited production of 6000 50cl bottles produced (I believe) in 2002 to celebrate the 80th anniversary of a significant event in the history of Ramos Pinto.
I am working purely from memory here so please forgive any errors or ommissions. Anyone who knows the truth please step in to correct my story.
In 1922 a couple of intrepid Portugues adventurers set off to make (the 1st) single hop flight from Portugal to Rio do Janeiro, Brazil. As a gesture to mark the occassion the pilot and his navigator were given a bottle of Rams Pinto tawny to deliver to the Portuguese Ambasabor. For some reason they never got there and decided that the best thing to do was drink the bottle. I cannot remember whether or not they made it home or were found dead with the empty bottle.
Anyway, this bottle has a replica label with various messages and signatures written on it. I bought it as a momento of my first trip to VNG a few years ago. I would have kept it forever but it decided to leak. I considered putting it on Death Row but then decided that summary execution was the kindest solution
From what I was told at the time of purchase this was a 7 yr old tawny at the time of bottling. It is now a bright orange colour. I have not seen a port this colour before.
The nose is typically tawny - sugary - very sweet, clipped smell. A nice weight but a completely uninteresting flavour. Quite hot with a long but extremely bitter finish.
Now, this may have suffered from the leakage but I can't believe that is the sole cause of how bad this is. My guess is that RP decided to create these tourist trinkets and filled them with the worst crap they could find in their cellar in the hope that no one would ever open one of the bottles.
In their defense, I think it cost 12 Euro :?
Derek
a marketing gimic, I'm sure, and you bit 