AJ | Much paler than its PX peers: a light translucent walnut. Very sweet and malt-extract like: hard to reconcile this as wine rather than foodstuff. On the palate, pure malt-extract. We're going to look at a second bottle. Similar -- a lighter, more date-like incarnation of PX: fat, tangy, sweet, unctuous, very salty, totally devoid of acidity. Warm on the finish. Sensational, as they all are, but not really wine for me. Something that everyone needs to try once in their lives. This one is like sipping a piece of liquid fudge made with salted butter. Drink Dates: 2025 - 2030. 88
SF | Midnight black at the core, with a distinct crepuscular rim. The aromatic initially is rather troubling; is there brett here? One does not usually wish to admit to a first note being ' dog biscuit'!. Confidence is a little under threat thereafter and the ensuing appreciation of the merits of the palate, finish and so forth are undermined. A second bottle to me seems a little less challenged, but the palate still 'cloys' a little for want of a better verb.. Drink Dates: 2025 - 2029. 88
RM | Second bottle: Mid deep mahogany with a thin olive green rim; intensely rich yet still showing some verve on the nose, with malt and treacle and even some cod liver oil there too, an odd combination I admit; sublime textural richness and intensity, unctuous with a burnt malt and molasses character yet still showing some freshness. I really couldn't drink much of this even though I respect it for its expression and intensity. Drink Dates: 2025 - 2050. 91