Mannie Berk | This is the only 1864 Verdelho-labeled Vintage Madeira we’ve seen. It doesn’t seem to have been released under any of the other MWA/MWC brands. Only nine bottles known to have appeared at auction.

Roy Hersh | Lightest appearance of the third flight, medium orange-amber color and golden rim. This spent very little time in wood (around 20 years in cask) and then it was likely stored in demijohn. Scented bouquet with sweet notes of apricot and nectarine, pecan, tea, toasted almond, and leather. Others seemed to like this more than I did. Medium-full bodied, viscous, and graceful across the tongue, but the mid-range was a bit shallow. There was plenty of acidity to keep even the most ardent acid-freak happy. A lemony-grapefruit dry impression initially, it faded to a bitter nutty edge with dried tropical fruits and marmalade that prevailed. Nicely balanced overall, structurally excellent and with lovely length, but I just did not sense the level of complexity, given the rest of the components of this Cossart Verdelho. | 17.5