Thursday 11th April - Decanting Experiment plus some drinkers
Posted: 21:21 Mon 22 Apr 2024
After some crazy planning and 2 trips to the Boot & Flogger, to deliver bottles and then more bottles and decanters, somehow I got them there all safely.
There was a little Julian and Harry debate on which bottles to open and which decanters, Martin was the peacekeeper. The poor placemats didn’t know what to do! I wanted to open 2 Tappit Hens of Dow 1977 and Julian only one, is the only comment I will make!
A quick decanting comment, each bottle was decanted through a fresh the unbleached muslin cloth from Nisbets and the same plastic funnel for each decanter.
We started by opening the Warre 1947 because Julian was thirsty.
Then we started with the opening of the timed decanting bottles,
Dow 1977 Tappit Hen, decanted at 1pm. into Sandeman Tawny bottle, an general everyday decanter and a ships decanter. No stoppers where placed on these throughout the day.
First tasting at 3pm, 2 hours in the decanters, Tawny Bottle first, get some heat, lacks smoothness, Straight, get a some heat, lacks smoothness, Ships, a little less heat, lacks smoothness, under decanted port for me. a little blind on this round, I guessed the Tawny and Straight the wrong away around, table view is the most heat in the straight which I agree with after the blind.
Second tasting at 4:30pm, 3h 30m in, I shortened from the 2 hour break because I felt there was less heat and imbalance after 2 hours than expected for me. there was a touch of heat on the tawny bottle, the straight was lovely, balance was there, and the ships, was lovely, with great balance, this is has really opened up. Comment, I feel the tawny was only 20 to 30mins behind the ships at this point.
Third tasting at 7pm, 6 hours in, this tasting was delayed from 6pm to 7pm for the late comers to join the final round. All 3 where in the lovely place, with great balance, smooth finish, just a touch less vibrancy than the previous round for me.
Warre 1977 Tappit Hen, decanted at 1:30pm into Sandeman Tawny and a straight Magnum decanter. The stopper were placed when not being poured.
First tasting at 2pm, 30mins in the decanters, only magnum decanter tasted, heat, but lovely fruit, lack of balance on the finish.
Second tasting 4pm, 2:30mins in, magnum decanter, still heat, needs time, tawny bottle, little heat, smoother finish, starting to balance, lovely port in there.
Third tasting 5pm, 3:30mins in, Magnum decanter, just wow! Great balance, lovely elegance finish, classic Warre at is best. Tawny bottle, not as good, balance is there but not as elegant as the magnum, still lovely.
Fourth tasting 6:30pm, 5 hours in, magnum decanter, this is just starting to get a little tired from it peak for me, but still very good to great.
Dow 1977 Magnum, decanted at 5pm for the evening joiners, into Sandeman Tawny bottle and Ships decanter, no stoppers were placed on these. This was to try and recreated the Tappit hen experience for the evening joiners.
Tasted at 7:30pm, Tawny bottle, show a little heat, very close to being ready. Ships, was lovely, with good balance, very enjoyable.
Overall. My view is, there was a some difference between the Tawny and Ships, but this difference was around 20 to 30mins in 4 hours, therefore around 8 to 12.5% difference over time, which is much smaller than I expected.
There was a little Julian and Harry debate on which bottles to open and which decanters, Martin was the peacekeeper. The poor placemats didn’t know what to do! I wanted to open 2 Tappit Hens of Dow 1977 and Julian only one, is the only comment I will make!
A quick decanting comment, each bottle was decanted through a fresh the unbleached muslin cloth from Nisbets and the same plastic funnel for each decanter.
We started by opening the Warre 1947 because Julian was thirsty.
Then we started with the opening of the timed decanting bottles,
Dow 1977 Tappit Hen, decanted at 1pm. into Sandeman Tawny bottle, an general everyday decanter and a ships decanter. No stoppers where placed on these throughout the day.
First tasting at 3pm, 2 hours in the decanters, Tawny Bottle first, get some heat, lacks smoothness, Straight, get a some heat, lacks smoothness, Ships, a little less heat, lacks smoothness, under decanted port for me. a little blind on this round, I guessed the Tawny and Straight the wrong away around, table view is the most heat in the straight which I agree with after the blind.
Second tasting at 4:30pm, 3h 30m in, I shortened from the 2 hour break because I felt there was less heat and imbalance after 2 hours than expected for me. there was a touch of heat on the tawny bottle, the straight was lovely, balance was there, and the ships, was lovely, with great balance, this is has really opened up. Comment, I feel the tawny was only 20 to 30mins behind the ships at this point.
Third tasting at 7pm, 6 hours in, this tasting was delayed from 6pm to 7pm for the late comers to join the final round. All 3 where in the lovely place, with great balance, smooth finish, just a touch less vibrancy than the previous round for me.
Warre 1977 Tappit Hen, decanted at 1:30pm into Sandeman Tawny and a straight Magnum decanter. The stopper were placed when not being poured.
First tasting at 2pm, 30mins in the decanters, only magnum decanter tasted, heat, but lovely fruit, lack of balance on the finish.
Second tasting 4pm, 2:30mins in, magnum decanter, still heat, needs time, tawny bottle, little heat, smoother finish, starting to balance, lovely port in there.
Third tasting 5pm, 3:30mins in, Magnum decanter, just wow! Great balance, lovely elegance finish, classic Warre at is best. Tawny bottle, not as good, balance is there but not as elegant as the magnum, still lovely.
Fourth tasting 6:30pm, 5 hours in, magnum decanter, this is just starting to get a little tired from it peak for me, but still very good to great.
Dow 1977 Magnum, decanted at 5pm for the evening joiners, into Sandeman Tawny bottle and Ships decanter, no stoppers were placed on these. This was to try and recreated the Tappit hen experience for the evening joiners.
Tasted at 7:30pm, Tawny bottle, show a little heat, very close to being ready. Ships, was lovely, with good balance, very enjoyable.
Overall. My view is, there was a some difference between the Tawny and Ships, but this difference was around 20 to 30mins in 4 hours, therefore around 8 to 12.5% difference over time, which is much smaller than I expected.