Bodegas Lustau, Amontillado del Castillo, Almacenista A. Caballero y Sobrinos, Jerez, Spain

Coppery amber colour. Varnish, iodine and roasted hazelnuts on the nose. Pithy and dry on the palate, the prominent notes are of nuts, bitter caramel and dried fig. Nutty and caramelised, it has an oxidative, gentle finish. 

Drink 2022 - 2026

Pioneers with their "almacenista" range, which gives credit on the label to the people that aged some of the wines they bottle, Lustau's NV Amontillado del Castillo Almacenista Antonio Caballero y Sobrinos is one in a large list of these unique bottlings. It has a very distinct and acute note of toffee and caramel that is a little unusual they talk about hazelnut praline in their documentation), and made me think of a Palo Cortado. 

The fat that it has a higher alcoholic degree also speaks to concentration and age, even if the wine comes from a solera of 38 casks averaging 18 years of age that mature in El Puerto de Santa María. A different Amontillado with a strong personality.