Blandy's Malmsey Madeira 1991

98 points Richard Mayson (Decanter): "From Malvasia grown at São Jorge on the north coast. Deep amber with an olive-green glint. Rich but restrained on the nose; notes of fresh greengage with bolo de mel (Madeiran honey cake) and spice. Gloriously fresh crystalised and caramelised fruit; the richness (135g/l residual sugar) is offset by the cut, but not the thrust, of racy apple and citrus acidity, plus a touch of astringency which persists on the finish. Simply magnificent Malvasia! Drink starting 2023. (8/16/23)"

95 points Neal Martin (Vinous): "The 1991 Malmsey from Blandy’s was aged 31 years in very old oak casks and contains 135g/L residual sugar. Quite pungent on the nose, it offers Seville orange marmalade, wood varnish, light sea spray scents and persimmon hints on the nose. This is well-focused with fine delineation. The palate is superb: mellifluous from the get-go, with a dash of Szechuan pepper that gets the tongue tingling. Lively, tensile with a wonderful unctuous finish. This feels long, powerful, and yet paradoxically tender. Highly recommended. 1,485 bottles produced. Drink: 2023-2045. (Jul 2023)"

The wine was aged in oak barrels for a total of 30+ years and started its own aging program whereby the wine was gently heated by warm air in the lofts of the south-facing lodge in Funchal. Over the years the wine was transferred from the top floor to the middle floor and eventually to the ground floor where temperatures were cooled. The wine was regularly racked during the aging process and finally bottles when the desired balance of maturity was reached.