Taylor Fladgate Single Harvest Port 1896

Taylor Fladgate possesses valuable reserves of very old Port lying in cask in its historic cellars in Oporto. These include a few unique gems, each representing a tiny volume of wine. On very rare occasions, at the discretion of the family, such wines have been launched as Limited Editions. It is now the turn of this priceless wine, in its 125th year of ageing in hand crafted oak casks, to be made available on strict allocation to selected customers around the world. Produced in the magnificent harvest of 1896, one of the finest of the 19th century, it was born at the start of an era of renewal in the Douro valley vineyards after the terrible scourge of Phylloxera. The launch of a wine as old, valuable and unique as this occurs only a handful of times in a generation. It is by its nature a historic event in its own right and restricted to a very small circle of rare wine collectors and connoisseurs.

Mahogany core with olive green highlights on the rim. The magical quality of this wine is unique, hard to compare even with the few other wines of similar age that have survived to the present day. Its depth and density are astonishing, even taking into account the wine’s concentration over a century and a quarter of ageing in wood. At first, a rich and seductive redolence of black coffee and liquorice takes centre stage but a host of other scents and nuances soon emerge from the wings, creating an intricate display of complex aroma.

Notes of sawn cedar wood blend with hints of dried rose petal, fennel and eucalyptus. Notes of black pepper and vanilla add a warm spicy dimension. On the palate the wine is dense, round and velvety with impressive volume and concentration, the sweetness balanced by a fresh acidity. Mellow flavours of coffee and butterscotch combine with vibrant notes of orange peel and citrus. The finish is endless, the dense mellow flavours remaining on the palate long after the wine has been tasted.