Bual, Blandy’s Madeira 1957

Bottled 2017. Mid brownish gold with a hint of green. Smells sweet and nutty and vaguely of polished wood. The most perfect balance between sweetness and mouth-watering acidity. That nutty flavour comes through strongly on the palate but also with the orange of long-matured dark marmalade, though not as sweet as that would be. Stunny nutty, walnut-bitter complexity clothed in burnt caramel and then with spiced bitter orange on the finish. Layers and layers of flavour. (JH) Now

Mid-deep amber – mahogany in colour with a reddish glint; fine, rich, lifted orange marmalade aromas with a hint of treacle toffee, just a touch singed around the edges, rather demure initially this really opened up in the glass after a couple of days; fine and lithe on the palate, crystalised fruits though seemingly not that sweet in style for a Bual (102 g/l residual sugar), perfect texture and poise mid-palate leading to a candied citrus finish together with a touch of honey and butterscotch richness. Ethereal. Just over 1,500 bottles in total.