AJ | Translucent pale walnut. Fragrant and refined, with copious herbal and dry-grass notes. Chypre and vetiver for perfume-lovers. Restrained at this stage, but good. Intense, bright, dry and long, with the classical Madeiran cliff-lunge of acidtiy. Nonetheless this very bracing Bual has some attractive extract and cask-aged complexities. True noble island wine, though relatively young for the vintage style, and whatever you do, don't serve it as a "dessert Boal"; this is aperitif Boal. You might like to see what it does in bottle though it might have been better left in cask for a little longer. Drink Dates: 2025 - 2040. 91
SF | Amber mahogany with a touch of tell-tale green, the salvation of the blind taster! Fulsome and generous nose of bitter almond, quince, gunpowder, iodine and raw meat. So far so good! The palate does not disappoint, its raw energetic personality, fired by spirit and acidity, failing to undermine a structure which is already beautifully compete and entirely characteristic of a top quality Boal, beatified by a little ( contextually not much ) age and an inference of high quality. Magisterial from every angle, and we know that it will get better still. Indeed it will. Drink Dates: 2025 - 2050. 94
RM | Lovely mid-deep amber with a green glint on the rim; ethereal autumnal aromas, wood smoke and autumn leaves with vestigial crystalised fruit; Elvas plum richness offset by savoury-toasty complexity and a long, quite rich finish, cut by greengage acidity. Glorious for both its intensity and its restraint. Drink Dates: 2025 - 2100. 97