Taylor Fladgate Limited Editions Single Harvest Port 1863

Taylor Fladgate Limited Editions Single Harvest Port 1863

This is among the top 10 most highly rated Colheita Port wines (based on critic scores).

Taylor Fladgate Limited Editions Single Harvest Port 1863 is an extraordinarily rare wood-aged Port from one of the last great pre-phylloxera vintages in the Douro. Released in 2014 after more than 150 years in oak, it is dense, complex, and remarkably fresh, with dried fruit, spice, molasses, and a long saline finish.

Producer and history

Taylor Fladgate, founded in 1692, is one of the oldest Port houses in existence. The 1863 harvest is regarded as one of the finest of the 19th century and the last great Port vintage before phylloxera spread through the Douro Valley.

The wine comes from two rare casks in Taylor’s library collection, acquired from a small Douro producer and matured in the cool, stable conditions of the Port lodges in Oporto. It was released as an exclusive allocation in 2014, with fewer than 1,600 bottles worldwide.

Winemaking and style

Style: Single-harvest tawny Port, aged in wood.
Harvest: 1863.
Aging: More than 150 years in oak casks.
Alcohol: 20% ABV.
Residual sugar: Around 224–240 g/L.
Format: 75 cl, presented in a custom-designed crystal decanter within a maple burl box.

Tasting profile

Appearance: Deep mahogany core with a narrow amber-olive rim.
Nose: Treacle and molasses at the core, with sawn oak, vanilla, nutmeg, black pepper, ginger, walnut, marzipan, butterscotch, mocha, dried fig, and plum pudding.
Palate: Full-bodied, sweet, and viscous, yet lifted by crisp acidity and beautifully integrated spirit. Flavors of toffee, coffee, tobacco, dried citrus, stewed prune, apricot, and balsamic unfold in layers.
Finish: Endless, fresh, and saline, with remarkable balance and a mineral, spicy close.

Drinking window and serving

This is fully mature and best enjoyed now. Once opened, it should be consumed within about nine months, though it will retain its freshness longer than most Ports.

Serve slightly cool, around 16–18°C, after gentle decanting. Pair with dark chocolate, caramel desserts, aged cheeses, or enjoy it alone as a contemplative after-dinner wine.

_______________________________________________________________________

Drawn from the firm’s collection of very rare and valuable cask aged Ports, represents a unique piece of wine history. Like a time capsule, it offers a fascinating glimpse into a distant past. The harvest of 1863 was one of the finest of the nineteenth century and the last great Port vintage before Phylloxera spread throughout the Douro Valley. Matured for over a century and a half in oak casks, the Taylor Fladgate Single Harvest 1863 has achieved an exceptional level of density and complexity while displaying a vitality and freshness remarkable in a wine of this age. In addition, the cool and tranquil environment of the Port lodges in Oporto has allowed the wine to retain its harmony and balance. 

The Taylor Fladgate Single Harvest 1863 is presented in a bespoke crystal decanter, specially produced in Italy, with an individually fitted glass stopper engraved and polished by hand in Scotland. The decanter is displayed in a superb luxury box finished in maple burl veneer. Each box contains a certificate individually signed by Taylor Fladgate's Managing Director, Adrian Bridge. The Taylor Fladgate Single Harvest 1863 is being released as an exclusive limited edition, corresponding to only two casks of wine, and is offered on an allocation basis. A wine of this age and historical interest is very rarely available for purchase and the Single Harvest 1863 represents a unique opportunity for the collector and enthusiast.