1968 Taylor Fladgate Quinta de Vargellas Vintage Port

[Glenn E.]

From the 2012 American Crossword Puzzle Tournament tasting in NYC.

Color: similar to the '69 but not quite as dark.

Nose: violets and sweet cherry. A little bit of alcohol/heat, but not so much that it intrudes.

Palate: good balance, good flavor. A little too close to cherry cough syrup, but not nearly that intense. Just a touch more tang would help balance the sweetness considerably, but it's significantly better here than in the older Ports in the lineup.

Score: 92+ points. Neck-and-neck with the '69, but to me just falls short. I feel like the '69 has more improvement left in it, while the '68 is probably pretty close to done. Both would make fantastic daily drinkers if they weren't so rare.