Alison Buchanan: Intense amber-tawny with an amber-green rim, this is a glorious color—rather unworldy. The nose is gloriously decadent, both sweet and savory—porchetta and grilled figs, praline and candied peel, all complemented by mocha and dark-chocolate notes—rather lovely. The palate then takes a very individual trajectory. Fantastically ripe, it nonetheless sustains an ethereal bitterness of dark chocolate and espresso coffee, particularly on the protracted, layered, earthy, treacle-rich finish— intriguing. | 89

Andrew Jefford: Saturated twig brown, deep, dark, and evidently ancient, like a light PX. Fine, time- polished aromas, sublimated and almost ethereal. Adieu all the toffee stuff, the fig frenzy, and the seeping raisins; this is sweet but harmonious, seamless, almost floral, though the flowers would be mysterious ones that grow in the casks in darkness. Very well stewarded through time, very elegant, very poised. On the palate, this is very weighty, dense, and full—and hugely generous, too, a kind of symphony of treacle, chocolate, mint cake, and fig syrup. There’s a little of the floral refinement we saw on the nose toward the end of the palate, but it is almost subsumed in the tide of salty sugars. Grand stuff, but I almost feel it might be a little better if it was just a little less sweet; then you could see all the aromatic refinements and intricacies of age more clearly. But I’m carping... | 92

Margaret Rand: Little nose. Sweet palate, dried figs, prunes, raisins, walnuts, dried herbs. Big, concentrated, and imposing, complex, good acidity, plenty of rancio. Very impressive. Black treacle and lots of muscle. Pity about the lack of nose. | 92