The bottles: The Last Drop Old Tawny Ports, $5,300 for set of two
The back story: The Last Drop Distillers is a company that has made its mission sourcing just that — rare spirits that essentially constitute the very last of something left. Up till now, the 10-year-old company has focused on Scotch whisky and Cognac, with limited-edition releases that typically sell in the thousands of dollars. But for its latest release, it has turned to port, the classic fortified wine from Portugal. (Fortified wine is wine that has spirits added to it.)
Of course, the Last Drop team says it didn’t pick any Port. It chose a pair of Tawny (as in finely matured) Ports — one dating from as far back as 1870, the other a relative “newcomer” from 1970. The company says it had help in the selection from Cristiano van Zeller, a winemaker and descendent of a family that is considered “one of the oldest and most respected” in the Port community, according to the Last Drop press materials.
Just 770 sets of the two-bottle package are available. (Each bottle is 750 milliliters, or about 25 ounces.) And despite the high price tag, the company expects it to be gone soon enough. Most of the 10 previous Last Drop releases have sold out.
What we think about them: No question: These are quality Ports, with layers of sweet and unusual flavors, judging from the small sample we were provided. The 1870 is especially a seductive sip. To quote Cristiano van Zeller’s tasting notes: “The nose is of fig, honeysuckle and molasses, overlaid with cedar, roasting coffee, cigar leaf and honeyed orange peel. Time seems to stop as the wine envelopes the palate.”
Of course, the question is whether these are worth the four-digit price tag. The short answer: If money is no object in your life, perhaps. But there are great Ports to be had for much less. Then again, the bottles do come in Last Drop’s signature “forest green” leather case.
How to enjoy them: Just pour these into your finest Port glasses, a company spokesperson says.
