There is more to drinking port than formal dining and long speeches. Taylor's can offer the right glass of port for any occasion or wine gift, any time of day, around the table, in the garden, out with friends or simply relaxing at home. Taylor's port dates back to 1692
Tasting notes 20-Year-Old Tawny Port, The NV 20-Year-Old Tawny Port, was bottled in 2015 and comes in at 111 grams per litre of residual sugar. On first taste, this was simply Taylor: big, concentrated and serious. It was all that and a bag of chips, but over a couple of days, it also demonstrated far more elegance. It seemed arguably better balanced than the ten-year-old Tawny this issue. Simply filling the mouth on first taste, this shows fine complexity for its age, and it does everything else rather brilliantly. Succulent and inviting, it finishes with waves of concentrated flavours. The fruit remains lifted, and it has a bright, transparent feel. It is hard to resist, often seeming like a bit of an overachiever. It's not the best tawny Taylor's submitted this issue, but it might be the best intersection of quality and price. 40 Year Old Tawny Port Pale mahogany core with a tawny rim. The nose has a generous, nutty bouquet with semblances towards a Bual that ebb with time. Very fine definition, the nose opens up with time with a touch of antique furniture shop, honey, juniper berries, dried apricot and sloe. The palate has a peppery entry with touches of soy and Chinese 5-spice, expanding nicely across the mouth but maintaining focus. Its judicious oxidative elements impart potent walnut, smoke and red pepper flavours towards the mellow, understated, sumptuous finish. Wonderful.
Tasted October 2010.The NV 40 Year Old Tawny Port was bottled with a bar top cork in 2014. It comes in with 125 grams per litre of residual sugar. Big, weighty and mouth-filling, this is an aromatic Tawny that finishes with acidity and tension. Its flavours become more interesting as long as it sits in the glass (or on your palate). It is not, perhaps, as sunny as the Fonseca, its sibling reviewed this issue, but it is denser and more gripping. Compared to the Taylor 30 (also reviewed), I'm not sure I liked the 40 here all that much better. The 30 is a bit fleshier, while this 40 is a bit more concentrated in flavour and aromatics. Perhaps some additional age also helped this 40 combat some of the aggression on the 30. They are both pretty fine, a difference of five to Midnight and five after, rather than night and day. It is still a fine experience and my favourite of the group. Don't drink it too warm. The room temperature is mostly too warm. The sweet spot for most tends to be 58-62 degrees Fahrenheit
