Simon Field | Strict, somewhat sepulchral color, remote aromatic of the moors, heather and bracken, incense and candlewick. One has to search hard for fruit, but it is there, eventually, delicate, but poised. On the palate, the wine is refined, almost refined out of existence, mature it seems, with the sinewy tannins a little intrusive and the fruit drying a little; tobacco and jambon cru; acidity quite marked, more so, in any event, than the spirit, which lingers, almost reluctantly. | 91

Andrew Jefford | Dark black-red, just off opacity but with lots of depth to the hue. There’s lots of rich, tangy caramel and tar here. It smells very ripe, baked in the best sense, like a great Dundee cake packed with dried fruits and a little bit burned along the rich, buttery bottom. Little fresh-fruit charm, by contrast. Perhaps a little meat jus for seriousness, too. On the palate, by contrast, it does have some fresh fruit along with the dried fruits but it also has a malt-extract character that lacks some subtlety. An exuberant, dense, but not very highly polished Vintage Port. Nonetheless it is still in good enough shape for its age, and has enough depth and dimension to carry it over a few more years. | 90

Richard Mayson | Mid-deep center, withathin, pinkish, tawny rim; demure and rather flat on the nose, lacking primacy, oxidized on retasting; characteristically broad and ripe on the palate, with firm, dry tannins, but the fruit is slightly baked and totally lacking in verve on the finish. Not very enjoyable. Drink up. | 79