#280 Very Old Rare Sherries from Lustau

I love sherry.  I love port more, but I do love sherry, and top sherries really are fine wines that are exceptional value for money.  So when I got news that Lustau were releasing four sherries that were over 30 years old and limited to 1000 bottles of each, I got excited.  Retailing at sixty pounds for a 50cl I was hoping that these sherries would be the greatest fortified wine from Spain that I'd ever put in my mouth.  They weren't.

Lustau VORS 30 Year Amontillado
Delicate, slight raisin and malt elements with a touch of honey and cinnamon with polished wood aromas.  This is a very easy and very woody palate with a bundle of sea salt, cashews and zingy citrus.  A very dry salty finish which totally cleans up and leaves you with a very fresh mouth.  8.5/10

Lustau VORS 30 Year Palo Cortado
Ripe apricots with spiced apple and smoky oak fires mixed with dried orange peel.  Then there is a smoked sea salt aroma.  The palate is gutsy, with alcohol kicking things off and lots of salty stone flavours, followed by almonds and dried leather.  The finish tastes like Twiglets!  8/10

Lustau VORS 30 Year Oloroso
Very subtle, some polished wood and a lot of vanilla toffee on the nose - fudgey!  The palate is so soft, you get sweet cashews, salt and a little chilli mixed in with toffee.  Very pretty with great acidity cleaning your mouth with a finish that tastes of sweet tobacco and fresh leather.  9/10

Lustau VORS 30 Year Pedro Ximenez
Figs, prunes and a lot of dark chocolate and liquorice.  There is coffee galore on the nose.  The palate is dark, with sticky toffee pudding and parkin flavours.  A bundle of coffee with prunes and treacle.  A really good PX but £60?  8/10

These are stunning wines, and given half a chance, any fortified fan should give these a shot as goodness only knows when Lustau will release any old sherry again.  But are they worth £60?  Definitely not.