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Alex, Axel, Enrico, Julian, Phil, Tom, and two Wolfgangs met for luncheon on Wednesday 20^th December 2017 at Otto’s Restaurant (182 Gray’s Inn Road WC1X 8EW).

Links:

• Review of the event as a whole.
• 1927 Ports:
  • Cockburn 1927;
  • Constantino 1927;
  • Croft 1927;
  • Dow 1927;
  • Fonseca 1927;
  • Martinez 1927;
  • Taylor 1927;
  • Warre 1927.
• Non-Ports:
  • 1999 Pol Roger magnum;
  • 1982 Château Gruaud Larose (first bottle);
  • 1982 Château Gruaud Larose (second bottle);
  • 1983 Château Gruaud Larose;
  • 2012 Markus Molitor Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Auslese***;
  • 2015 Keller Pinard Trockenbeerenauslese.

T27. Dark-red, 70% opaque. Dark cherry, some heat, oleaginously rich. Huge and splendid, with and ending very sweet and long. having tasted the Fonseca I thought Taylor second-favourite, but later revised that to a tie. One could reasonably disagree — reasonably but decadently.

Bottled by Hankey Bannister. Cork removed at 11am, bottle decanted at 2pm. Deep red colour, looking youthful and very similar to the 1977 vintage ports drunk the previous night. Opaque at the centre, with a very wide rim. Warm fruit, gently spiced on the nose; fruit mixed with cinnamon and cloves; fresh, lively and very delicious but with the alcohol showing slightly. Hot entry, rich fruit that manages to be both refined but also threatening — like a polite bouncer in a dinner jacket. Tobacco infuses the sweet red cherry fruit adding a layer of spice and pepper. The Taylor heat lurks in the background, but not in a bad way. Big aftertaste, powerful and oh so tasty. The heat dominates at first but this quickly settles to a sour cherry finish. The finish is long and delicious. (96/100)

A small 6cl sample was taken home and drunk a couple of days later when the port had clearly benefitted from the extra contact with air. The palate and aftertaste had acquired a greater depth and richness and was even better. 97/100.

Dark and fabulous, deep, spicy; classic Taylor profile. In exceptionally good condition, though for me bettered significantly by the Fonseca, and very slightly by the Martinez, probably due to my flavour profile preferences.
Rating: ex