Here is some context for 1863 to consider when sipping this amazing port: - Abraham Lincoln was the President of the United States - The Civil War was in its 3rd year - Emancipation Proclamation signed - President Abraham Lincoln designates last Thursday in November as Thanksgiving Day - Saratoga Racetrack, New York, opens - President Abraham Lincoln delivers Gettysburg Address - International Committee of the Red Cross is founded in Geneva, Switzerland. - Ground is broken on the Transcontinental Railroad in Sacramento, CA - The Football Association is formed in London
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This ol' port was spectacular - a very strong character on the nose the moment the cork was removed. Poured into crystal port glasses it was thick not unlike a syrup yet with a silky ambiguity as if it had a mind of its own also, & couldn't believe it was time to finally be consumed.
Molasses, caramel, heavily dehydrated blackberry, an old chalkboard eraser, and hints of dying spring flowers.
For my elegant wedding on 070117 with the love of my life, Elizabeth, with her family and all of our friends we traveled back in time.
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Drank at 67 Hmmm - what can I say. I suppose I disagree with the tasting note below. Three of us drank a bottle of this and we all agreed we would not spend the money on another bottle. As you can see I score it highly but not high enough for this price point. It is lovely but it is just too young, dense and solid. As one person said this has a very similar consistency to olive oil. I just expected something else from such an old port. Dark ruby core with an amber hue. Nose of spice, pepper, vanilla, tar and tobacco. Rich deep palate with an incredible youth and medium length.
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rom pre-phylloxera vines, Taylor’s bought a small lot of only three barrels from the 1863 vintage that had been quietly resting in a cellar for well over a century—the producer had the foresight to reserve them when phylloxera first swept through the region. An important wine because, as Taylor’s staff pointed out, ungrafted vines are extremely rare in the Douro. An incredible experience, and one that I felt lucky to have since the winery has fewer than 12 bottles remaining.
There is an incredible, concentrated sweetness on the nose; coffee, vanilla, maple syrup, and dried tobacco leaves. In the mouth, lacquered elegance, a long toffee-hued ribbon slowly unfurling, like removing a sheet from an ancient mahogany bureau, there is dust and warm wood and leather, layered against dates, dried orange skins and burnt sugar. Spiciness and minerality emerge on the finish, filtered sunlight through ancient glass and sea salt built up by time and slow evaporation.
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Taylor's Port: Bottled from cask, on demand. Surprisingly deep colour, like Oloroso but finer, with layers of amber and gold, and a tint of blueish green at the rim that I've never seen in a wine before. Profound nose: strong, strong. Smoke, nail varnish, dried apricot, bergamot oil. From the nose alone I can sense the soaring acidity: there's such a bite to the bouquet, such smoking mineral intensity. Great attack, fierce acidity, some tannin too, orange zest, walnuts, oak, and a wave of other exotic aromas. The finish is incredible. And it gets better in the glass, by the minute. I wish I had an entire bottle of this to myself because it is building a crescendo here. I check back to the Colheita 1965 and that wine feels ridiculously young now. I cannot see anything missing or anything I'd like to take away. This is a perfect wine.
As with all great wine experiences there's an element of surprise involved. I just couldn't believe the power and self confidence on display here: the wine just completely swept away everything else. And the increasing intensity… almost frightening, like waking up some primordial beast. I suppose this is indestructible but it was a privilege to try it now. Getting to know it, I can only say that a profound sense of reverence came upon me.
brown with yellow rim smells of alcohol and varnish initially Very powerful nose, like a solvent. Don't smell directly waft towards your nose. Then there was malt and caramel Thick texture, lots of sweetness initially and then lots of acidity, well-balanced. Not at all cloying Tastes of molasses and then nuts, walnuts layers and layers of nuts. Some tannin. Very very long Just goes on and on. A great privilege to try this
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12/9/2017 - ralphdandrea wrote: 97 Points
Here is some context for 1863 to consider when sipping this amazing port:
- Abraham Lincoln was the President of the United States
- The Civil War was in its 3rd year
- Emancipation Proclamation signed
- President Abraham Lincoln designates last Thursday in November as Thanksgiving Day
- Saratoga Racetrack, New York, opens
- President Abraham Lincoln delivers Gettysburg Address
- International Committee of the Red Cross is founded in Geneva, Switzerland.
- Ground is broken on the Transcontinental Railroad in Sacramento, CA
- The Football Association is formed in London
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6/30/2017 - TheBSD Likes this wine: 100 Points
This ol' port was spectacular - a very strong character on the nose the moment the cork was removed. Poured into crystal port glasses it was thick not unlike a syrup yet with a silky ambiguity as if it had a mind of its own also, & couldn't believe it was time to finally be consumed.
Molasses, caramel, heavily dehydrated blackberry, an old chalkboard eraser, and hints of dying spring flowers.
For my elegant wedding on 070117 with the love of my life, Elizabeth, with her family and all of our friends we traveled back in time.
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2/28/2017 - RayOB wrote: 93 Points
Drank at 67
Hmmm - what can I say. I suppose I disagree with the tasting note below. Three of us drank a bottle of this and we all agreed we would not spend the money on another bottle. As you can see I score it highly but not high enough for this price point.
It is lovely but it is just too young, dense and solid. As one person said this has a very similar consistency to olive oil. I just expected something else from such an old port.
Dark ruby core with an amber hue. Nose of spice, pepper, vanilla, tar and tobacco. Rich deep palate with an incredible youth and medium length.
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5/25/2016 - Christine Havens Likes this wine: 100 Points
rom pre-phylloxera vines, Taylor’s bought a small lot of only three barrels from the 1863 vintage that had been quietly resting in a cellar for well over a century—the producer had the foresight to reserve them when phylloxera first swept through the region. An important wine because, as Taylor’s staff pointed out, ungrafted vines are extremely rare in the Douro. An incredible experience, and one that I felt lucky to have since the winery has fewer than 12 bottles remaining.
There is an incredible, concentrated sweetness on the nose; coffee, vanilla, maple syrup, and dried tobacco leaves. In the mouth, lacquered elegance, a long toffee-hued ribbon slowly unfurling, like removing a sheet from an ancient mahogany bureau, there is dust and warm wood and leather, layered against dates, dried orange skins and burnt sugar. Spiciness and minerality emerge on the finish, filtered sunlight through ancient glass and sea salt built up by time and slow evaporation.
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10/30/2015 - fanglangzhe Likes this wine: 90 Points
A bit alcoholic. Oak, dark cherry, nice acidity.Certainly a good port but perhaps overhyped given its age.
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11/22/2014 - Timbalimba wrote: 100 Points
Taylor's Port: Bottled from cask, on demand. Surprisingly deep colour, like Oloroso but finer, with layers of amber and gold, and a tint of blueish green at the rim that I've never seen in a wine before. Profound nose: strong, strong. Smoke, nail varnish, dried apricot, bergamot oil. From the nose alone I can sense the soaring acidity: there's such a bite to the bouquet, such smoking mineral intensity. Great attack, fierce acidity, some tannin too, orange zest, walnuts, oak, and a wave of other exotic aromas. The finish is incredible. And it gets better in the glass, by the minute. I wish I had an entire bottle of this to myself because it is building a crescendo here. I check back to the Colheita 1965 and that wine feels ridiculously young now. I cannot see anything missing or anything I'd like to take away. This is a perfect wine.
As with all great wine experiences there's an element of surprise involved. I just couldn't believe the power and self confidence on display here: the wine just completely swept away everything else. And the increasing intensity… almost frightening, like waking up some primordial beast. I suppose this is indestructible but it was a privilege to try it now. Getting to know it, I can only say that a profound sense of reverence came upon me.
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6/25/2014 - henrygjeffreys Likes this wine:
brown with yellow rim
smells of alcohol and varnish initially
Very powerful nose, like a solvent. Don't smell directly waft towards your nose. Then there was malt and caramel
Thick texture, lots of sweetness initially
and then lots of acidity, well-balanced. Not at all cloying
Tastes of molasses and then nuts, walnuts
layers and layers of nuts. Some tannin. Very very long
Just goes on and on.
A great privilege to try this
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