Tag Archives: vintage

Fuller’s Vintage Ale 2015

Fuller’s has a history dating back to the 1600’s London in the Chiswich district down to the Thames river. A long history of brewery houses first coined the Fullers’s Griffin Brewery, as it is known today, in 1845 with the partnership of John Fuller, Henry Smith and John Turner.

I bought this 500 ml bottle at 8.5% in a wine shop in Odense, Denmark at the price of 13 Euro. This limited edition ale had number 62704.

Clear beer, brown and orange in the color.

No head, just a few large bubbles along the rim of the glass.

The aroma is dominated by a bitter scent of wood and comes of flat.

Comes off with a dominating citrus fruit taste with a okay CO2. Full bodied with a bit of darkness, wine-like notes with a bitter after taste.

Overall rating 85 / 100

The Fuller’s Vintage Ale 2015 review was part of a vertical tasting of 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018.

Fuller’s Vintage Ale 2016

Fuller’s has a history dating back to the 1600’s London in the Chiswich district down to the Thames river. A long history of brewery houses first coined the Fullers’s Griffin Brewery, as it is known today, in 1845 with the partnership of John Fuller, Henry Smith and John Turner.

I bought this 500 ml bottle at 8.5% in a wine shop in Odense, Denmark at the price of 13 Euro. This limited edition ale had number 4309.

Brown in the color with notes of orange, a bit hazy.

A small head with very little fine foam.

A sweet and bitter aroma that comes off a bit too flat. Has some green and fresh notes to it.

Fruited, sweet and with a long after taste. Full bodied with notes of wine and nuts.

Overall rating 83 / 100

The Fuller’s Vintage Ale 2016 review was part of a vertical tasting of 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018.

Fuller’s Vintage Ale 2017

Fuller’s has a history dating back to the 1600’s London in the Chiswich district down to the Thames river. A long history of brewery houses first coined the Fullers’s Griffin Brewery, as it is known today, in 1845 with the partnership of John Fuller, Henry Smith and John Turner.

I bought this 500 ml bottle at 8.5% in a wine shop in Odense, Denmark at the price of 13 Euro. This limited edition ale had number 21675.

Amber red to brown in the color with some haziness to it.

A small head with just a little fine foam.

Sweet and sour fruit notes in the aroma, comes off with notes of pine and a feeling of being thick as porridge.

Good CO2 level that balances well with the a sweet fruit, combined with the long after taste and notes of oak. A pleasure to drink.

Overall rating 88 / 100

The Fuller’s Vintage Ale 2017 review was part of a vertical tasting of 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018.

Fuller’s Vintage Ale 2018

Fuller’s has a history dating back to the 1600’s London in the Chiswich district down to the Thames river. A long history of brewery houses first coined the Fullers’s Griffin Brewery, as it is known today, in 1845 with the partnership of John Fuller, Henry Smith and John Turner.

I bought this 500 ml bottle at 8.5% in a wine shop in Odense, Denmark at the price of 13 Euro. This limited edition ale had number 134232.

Clear beer, amber red in the color and with no sediments.

A small head with just a little fine foam.

Very sweet fruit notes in the aroma with a strong alcohol dominating.

Very sweet in the taste with a heavy alcohol to it. Light notes of fruit that comes through easily. After taste is a little anonymous. Low CO2 level.

Overall rating 84 / 100

The Fuller’s Vintage Ale 2018 review was part of a vertical tasting of 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018.

Real Companhia Velha Vintage Port 1983

Real Companhia Velha was founded on the 10th of September 1756 by Royal Charter of King D. José I, under the auspices of his Prime Minister, Sebastião José de Carvalho e Melo, the Count of Oeiras and Marquis of Pombal. By 1781 the company was known as Royal Oporto in England. In 1960, with the support of the banker Pinto de Magalhães, Manuel da Silva Reis acquires the majority of the company and assumes its leadership.

Estimated cost of this Real Companhia Velha Vintage Port 1983 bottle of 750 ml at 20% is 50 Euro.

Taste notes right after decanting

Aroma is dominated by alcohol with a thin fruit to it.

Thin rosa in the colour with brown notes.

Strong and spicey in the mouth, warmth from alcohol and tannin with a slight sweet after taste.

Intermediate rating 86 / 100

Taste notes 3 hours after decating

Less alcohol in the aroma and the fruit notes have gained more strength.

Colour has gained more weight and is more red now.

Good tannin and fruit balance in the taste. After taste has notes of
liquorice.

Intermediate rating 89 / 100

Taste notes 22 hours after decanting

Clear dark red in the colour, no more haziness.

Good spicy aroma with a dark mysterious fruit to it.

Tannin are still alive and the after taste has grown in length.

Overall rating 91 / 100

Taste notes 48 hours after decanting

Tannin has gone soft and the fruit notes and taste experience has in general become weak.

Sandeman Vau Vintage Port 1999

Estimated cost of this Sandeman Vau Vintage Port 1999 bottle of 750 ml is 35 Euro.

Taste notes right after decanting

Light in the colour, but still resembling blood red. Thin curtains in the glass.

Weak fruit in the aroma, dominated by the alcohol.

Thin fruit taste with a light and acidity feeling in the mouth.

Intermediate rating 81 / 100

Taste notes after 4 hours

Gained some weight and a darker colour.

Intermediate rating 83 / 100

Taste notes after 9 hours

Dark red with a more brown tone to it.

More matured and in balance in the aroma, less alcohol.

Sweet fruits and tannin in a great play. Still a very dry wine with a specific figs and raisins in the after taste.

Intermediate rating 86 / 100

Taste notes after 12 hours

Much more balance in the taste, a bigger joy on the palate.

Overall rating 88 / 100

Fonseca Vintage Port 1995 #2

Estimated cost of this Fonseca Vintage Port 1995 bottle of 750 ml is 55 Euro.

Taste notes right after decanting

Light red just a few notes below blood.

Thin aroma that needs more time to develop.

Soft tannin and sweetness in the taste, but not quite balanced.

Intermediate rating 88 /100

8 hours after decanting

Dark red in the colour.

Medium strength aroma with a sweet dried fruits and alcohol.

Thin curtains on the sides of the glass.

Much more bite to the taste. Good medium strength dried fruits, sweet raisins in the after taste that has a nice length.

Overall rating 90 / 100

Croft Vintage Port 2000

Estimated cost of this Croft Vintage Port 2000 bottle of 750 ml is 38 Euro.

Taste notes right after decanting

Dark red with brown notes in the colour

Has a heavy swing to it already, leaves heavy curtains on the sides of the glass

Deep dark fruit with a spiced side in the aroma. Well performing right after opening the bottle.

Warm alcohol, full bodied taste with a dark side to it, though on the weak side. Slight notes of dried fruits with short after taste.

Intermediate rating 88 /100

3 hours after decanting

The alcohol has become more dominant in the aroma and there is no change to the taste.

Intermediate rating 87 /100

7 hours after decanting

Enhanced on the sweet notes, much more open, alcohol is less warm. A specific raisin taste has come forward. 

Tannin’s are still well alive and gives a good play.

Intermediate rating 90 /100

22 hours after decanting

Red as blood.

Still some alcohol in the aroma but certainly with a much more spicy and mysterious darkness about it.

Still bite from the tannin, warmth from the alcohol and a good full bodied taste.

Clear taste of dried fruits in taste and after taste.

Overall rating 90 / 100

Gould Campell Vintage Port 1980

Gould Campell was founded in 1797 by Garret Gould. Through the years and many wars, the brand survived and was a well-established name in Great Britain. In 1970 the company was bought up and became a part of the Symington family business. The brand Gould Campell was discontinued in 2015 due to economical reasons.

This 750 ml bottle of vintage port at 20% can be found at around 53 Euro from wine shops in Europe.

Taste notes right after decanting

A very fine looking cork, in such a good shape that it has to be re-corked at some point.

Dark red colour with brown notes.

Darkness and dried fruits in the aroma. Clear notes of oak casks but yet dominated by the alcohol.

Warm alcohol, early signs of balance with a dry tannin and acid. Sweet fruit notes with a good raisin in the after taste. Spicy and slightly mysterious.

Intermediate rating 87 /100 

3 hours after decanting

Colour has changed for a more bloody expression.

Less alcohol in the aroma.

The dried fruit notes in the taste had become more full bodied.

Good and sweet wine.

Intermediate rating 90 /100 

6 hours after decanting

Balance has settled for a perfect mix of sweet fruit and tannin. It is as close to drinking candy as it can get for this wine.

Overall rating 91 / 100

Dow Vintage Port 2004 Quinta do Bomfim

Taste notes right after decanting

Perfect cork, not a single spot of mold or leaking. Some sediment in the bottle.

Thin blood red colour with heavy curtains in the glass.

Sweet fruit and some spices in the aroma, but dominated by alcohol.

Dry tannin, sweet grapes and with a young strength in the taste. Good after taste.

Suitable for maturing further.

Intermediate rating 84 /100

4 hours after decanting

Colour has changed for a darker red.

Still a dominating alcohol in the aroma, but also with a more dark spice to it.

Good warmth in the drink, balanced fruits, sweet raisins with a biting tannin.

Intermediate rating 88 /100

6 hours after decanting

Taste and aroma has gotten softer, sweeter and more accessible.

Overall rating 89 / 100