NV Graham's 30 Year Old Tawny Port
Posted: Wed Jan 02, 2013 5:39 pm
A bottle I received from Sandy and Ruth after the "Roy's Top 12" tasting in March.
Graham's 30-yr old Tawny Port
bottled in 2011
Color: Fairly light (for a 30-yr old) orange-brown. The highlights show some red, but even those are more of a deep red-orange than actually red. Shows some green tint near the rim. In the glass it really looks more like a 20-yr old than a 40-yr old, albeit one that isn't very red.
Nose: Some light spirit, some caramel, some vanilla, and some vague nuttiness. There's also just the faintest hint of mint... so faint that it's difficult to classify, but I'll call it eucalyptus. Also some very light/faint coffee- or toffee-like aroma.
Palate: Instant impression is that it's too thin and light to be a 30-yr old, but upon further reflection it isn't as thin as that first impression indicates. It definitely has a medium body, but the flavors are light and almost flighty. There's some good apricot, but it's hard to tell whether it is dried or fresh. Wood notes are very hidden, but with effort some caramel can be found. This is definitely a sweet Port and that seems to be covering some of the flavors. There's a little bit of coffee adding depth, but otherwise pretty shallow for a 30-yr old. Acidity seems a bit weak as well.
Finish: Fruity with a hint of bitterness, but not especially long. There is a nice tail of apples, though.
Score: 91 points. There's probably some label bias in that - knowing that it's a 30-yr old is driving down the score because I expect more from it than I'm getting. I have a vague sense that there's something wrong with the bottle, but can't really pinpoint it. Perhaps it was stored standing up in the store and is just a bit oxidized? Or maybe it's been stored just a little bit too warmly for just a little bit too long? It's pleasant and thoroughly enjoyable to drink, but it's definitely not up to my standards for a 30-yr old Tawny Port.
Graham's 30-yr old Tawny Port
bottled in 2011
Color: Fairly light (for a 30-yr old) orange-brown. The highlights show some red, but even those are more of a deep red-orange than actually red. Shows some green tint near the rim. In the glass it really looks more like a 20-yr old than a 40-yr old, albeit one that isn't very red.
Nose: Some light spirit, some caramel, some vanilla, and some vague nuttiness. There's also just the faintest hint of mint... so faint that it's difficult to classify, but I'll call it eucalyptus. Also some very light/faint coffee- or toffee-like aroma.
Palate: Instant impression is that it's too thin and light to be a 30-yr old, but upon further reflection it isn't as thin as that first impression indicates. It definitely has a medium body, but the flavors are light and almost flighty. There's some good apricot, but it's hard to tell whether it is dried or fresh. Wood notes are very hidden, but with effort some caramel can be found. This is definitely a sweet Port and that seems to be covering some of the flavors. There's a little bit of coffee adding depth, but otherwise pretty shallow for a 30-yr old. Acidity seems a bit weak as well.
Finish: Fruity with a hint of bitterness, but not especially long. There is a nice tail of apples, though.
Score: 91 points. There's probably some label bias in that - knowing that it's a 30-yr old is driving down the score because I expect more from it than I'm getting. I have a vague sense that there's something wrong with the bottle, but can't really pinpoint it. Perhaps it was stored standing up in the store and is just a bit oxidized? Or maybe it's been stored just a little bit too warmly for just a little bit too long? It's pleasant and thoroughly enjoyable to drink, but it's definitely not up to my standards for a 30-yr old Tawny Port.