Blandy's, Bual, 30-Year-Old, Madeira, Portugal (20%)

This is made from a selection of the best Bual vintages of the last five decades. The youngest component is 15 years old, and the oldest is 47 years old.

It smells like warm fudge and Christmas. It tastes like Genoa cake and toffee pie. Dust and spice, bitter lemons and bitter orange, and a flavour that reminds me a little bit of amaro, a little bit of coffee syrup. Deep savouriness; bitterness built into it like a spine; purple notes that remind me of jacaranda trees in blossom in warm evening sunlight. And then, just at the end, buttered toast. Beautiful. And surprisingly playful! 

The maiden NV Bual 30-Year-Old is a blend of seven different wines, the youngest 15- and the oldest 49 years old. Chris Blandy told me that their aim is to create a Madeira in a style as close to a 30-Year-Old blend as possible. There is something "gentle" about the bouquet, well defined as one now expects from Blandy's: touches of hazelnut, dried quince and fresh fig all suffused with a judicious level of volatility to give it a gentle kick. Conversely, the palate is feisty and lively at the entry, with a twist of bitter lemon interwoven into the dried honey, fig, and clove notes. As it unfolds in the mouth, I notice how it becomes spicier, with a sprinkle of white pepper and a cheeky pinch of curry powder on the finish. What a gorgeous Bual! This comes highly recommended.

Drink 2016 - 2040