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This was a serious vertical of seriously mature Taylor’s Port, 1878 to 1948, on Monday 13^th October 2025 at Noble Rot, Mayfair, as arranged by Alex Bridgeman of BFT fame.

Links:

• Review of the event as a whole;
• 1878 Taylor (AHB);
• 1884 Taylor (MSC+TC);
• 1890 Taylor (AHB);
• 1896 Taylor (MJRM);
• 1900 Taylor (AHB);
• 1908 Taylor (CEM);
• 1912 Taylor (CEM);
• 1917 Taylor (AHB);
• 1920 Taylor (AHB);
• 1924 Taylor (MJRM);
• 1927 Taylor (TC);
• 1935 Taylor (CPR);
• 1942 Taylor (MSC);
• 1945 Taylor (HTWH);
• 1948 Taylor (NAC);
• Planning and arangements;
• Placemats.

1896 Collard of Canterbury bottling. Identified by neck tag only so has to be presumed Taylor.

Capsule (which I have now just managed to chip post photo)

Base of bottle (if anyone interested!)

T1896, pale red brown, 20% opaque. Oleaginous, very present mid-palate bitterness, Cointreau orange, light, noticeably weaker at end than the T78.

Got heat overpowering whatever fruit was left. This heat never went away. It was just a little odd. Average

1896 Taylor, bottled by Collard of Canterbury and with a branded cork. Opened at 18.30 and decanted 2 hours later. Tasted ½ hour after decanting. A rich mature bronzed colour, 60% opaque. Star fruit on the nose, maybe a bit of bruised pineapple. Sweet bruised red apple on the palate with a dusting of tannins. A sweet redcurrant aftertaste with a bitter blackthorn core adding an unbalanced richness and depth to the aftertaste and finish. Decent wine, but not more than that. 84/100.

The identity of the wine was confirmed by the branding on the cork - this was the oldest branded cork at this tasting.