NV Brunheda 20 Year Old Tawny Port

[Glenn E.]

Stewart gave me this bottle at the "Roy's Top 12 Vintage Port" tasting. It looks like it was hand bottled at the Quinta and it has a full driven cork. I opened the bottle on the 22nd but felt it needed some air time to mellow, so waited until today to do a TN. A good thing, as it has probably gained 3-4 points in those 3 days.

Brunheda 20 Year Old Tawy Port

Color: An orange-amber hue that is lighter than most 20-year olds. There's less red/deep orange here that most others as well. Clear in the glass, but not 100% crystal clear.

Nose: Bright dried fruits (apricot, orange), some faint medicinal alcohol, something high-toned like a thin vanilla that might be VA, lightly toasted pecans, possibly some almonds, some figs, and a little caramel. There's a lot going on and the aromas don't all blend, which creates a bit of a tug-of-war in your nose as you're pulled back and forth between various scents.

Palate: Bright, medium sweet, and lightly tangy. A couple of days of air has helped considerably. Relatively light mouth feel for a 20-yr old. Lots of citrus - clementines, blood oranges, and sweet lemon. There's a faint, sharp, burnt note as well. If it were stronger I'd probably call it a bitter note, but it's very faint and so just gives the impression of coffee or espresso. Some light vanilla and ... well, butter. And pound cake.

Finish: A pleasant warmth that spreads down your throat. The fruit passes quickly but the citrus lingers. The faint burnt note from the palate is very slightly more noticeable in the finish, but still isn't obnoxious. The warmth is really interesting because the Port isn't hot at all, but the warmth sure does blossom in your throat after you swallow. A bit of celery very late in the tail where I'd normally find apples.

Score: 91 points. I started at 87 when I opened it 3 days ago, but the air time has done wonders. This seems to be more toward the Sandeman end of the spectrum vs the Taylor or Graham end. It would probably be great slightly chilled on a warm summer afternoon.