Taylor Fladgate Very Very Old Tawny

Taylor Fladgate Very Very Old Tawny is an ultra-aged tawny port bottled at 20% ABV in a 750ml bespoke decanter, blended from wood-aged reserves older than 80 years. Limited to just 3,000 bottles, this release draws from some of the oldest and rarest lots in Taylor's cellars — wines that have been concentrating in seasoned oak since before the Second World War.

Quick Facts: ABV: 20%  |  Origin: Douro Valley, Portugal  |  No Age Statement (80+ Year Blend)  |  Producer: Taylor Fladgate (est. 1692)

Production & Heritage

Taylor Fladgate has operated continuously since 1692, sourcing fruit from its own estates — Quinta de Vargellas, Quinta de Terra Feita, and Quinta do Junco — in the Douro Valley. The traditional Portuguese varieties used include Touriga Nacional, Touriga Francesa, Tinta Roriz, Tinta Barroca, and Tinta Cão, foot-trodden in the time-honored manner. The Very Very Old Tawny (often abbreviated VVOP) was matured entirely in seasoned oak casks of approximately 630 litres, where decades of slow oxidative aging transformed the wine's color to a deep amber-brown and built layers of concentration that standard aged tawnies cannot replicate. What distinguishes this bottling from Taylor's acclaimed 40 Year Old is the sheer provenance: some component lots predate the 1940s, and the blending draws on reserves that have no equivalent in quantity or age elsewhere in the house's portfolio.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: The nose opens with subtle caramel and toffee before revealing lime skin, dried figs, and ripe honey. Beneath those top notes, a light balsamic quality and an almost musty cellar character emerge — reminiscent, as James Suckling described, of standing in aging cellars with dirt floors and old wooden vats.

Taste: On entry, the palate is full-bodied and very sweet, with compacted ripe fruit and an oily, viscous texture. At mid-palate, tangy orange and rum-and-raisin flavors interweave with deeper caramel tones. Despite the pronounced sweetness, a surprising freshness lifts the wine and provides real intensity, preventing any sense of heaviness.

Finish: The finish is exceptionally long and flavorful, carrying refined sweet fruit and light toffee into a slow, elegant fade. Lingering notes of dried spice and balsamic persist well after the last sip, underscoring the extraordinary depth of the blend.

How to Drink the Very Very Old Tawny

This port demands to be served on its own, slightly chilled to around 14–16°C (57–61°F), in a small tulip-shaped glass that concentrates its complex aromatics. Given its rarity and the age of its component wines, mixing it into cocktails would obscure precisely what makes it remarkable. Pair it instead as a standalone digestif or alongside dessert courses where its sweetness and intensity can take center stage.

Best For

• Gifting a serious port collector or wine connoisseur marking a milestone occasion
• Serving as the closing course at a formal dinner or multi-course tasting event
• Adding a once-in-a-generation bottling to a curated wine cellar
• Celebrating a landmark anniversary, retirement, or significant personal achievement

Frequently Asked Questions

What does the Very Very Old Tawny taste like? It delivers rich toffee, caramel, tangy orange, and rum-and-raisin flavors alongside dried figs and honey, all carried by a full-bodied, oily texture and a remarkably long finish. Despite its pronounced sweetness, a lifted freshness keeps the wine vibrant and intense.

How does the Very Very Old Tawny compare to Quinta das Carvalhas The Impressionist 80 Year Old Tawny? Both occupy the ultra-aged, luxury tawny category with component wines exceeding 80 years, and the Carvalhas expression earned 97 points from Wine Enthusiast. The Taylor Fladgate bottling draws on the house's unbroken cellaring tradition since 1692 and its ownership of source estates, while The Impressionist was limited to 695 bottles, making both exceptionally rare but distinct in provenance and scale.

Is the Very Very Old Tawny good for sipping neat? Absolutely — this is a port designed exclusively for contemplative sipping, served slightly chilled in a small glass. Its complexity and age reward slow, attentive drinking far more than any mixed preparation ever could.

Where is the Very Very Old Tawny made? It is produced by Taylor Fladgate in the Douro Valley of northern Portugal, drawing fruit from the house's own estates including Quinta de Vargellas, Quinta de Terra Feita, and Quinta do Junco. Taylor Fladgate has been making port at this location since 1692.

What foods pair well with the Very Very Old Tawny? Dark chocolate truffles complement its caramel sweetness; crème brûlée mirrors its toffee and vanilla character; aged Comté or Parmigiano-Reggiano offer a savory counterpoint to its richness; roasted walnuts echo its nutty oxidative depth; and dried fig compote harmonizes directly with its dried fruit profile.

What sizes does the Very Very Old Tawny come in? It is released in a standard 750ml format, presented in a bespoke decanter housed within an elegant luxury wooden case.

Is the Very Very Old Tawny worth the price? This positions firmly in the ultra-premium tier of tawny port — a category where very few bottlings exist at all. With only 3,000 bottles produced from pre-WWII reserves, scarcity and provenance support its standing among the most collectible ports commercially available.

Why the Very Very Old Tawny?

What separates this bottling from the broader aged tawny market is not simply age but continuity: Taylor Fladgate has maintained its cellars and cask reserves without interruption for over three centuries, and the lots blended into this release have been concentrating in wood for more than 80 years — some since before World War II. That level of provenance is essentially unrepeatable. At only 3,000 bottles worldwide, it represents one of the oldest commercially released tawny port blends from any major house, and its presentation in a bespoke decanter and wooden case signals the gravity of what is inside. For collectors and serious port enthusiasts, this is a rare opportunity to taste living history from one of the Douro's most storied producers.