We used to follow the 15 and then the 18 over the years, and I remember we used to believe that ‘anything distilled after 1970 was not the same anymore’. Which became 1975. Then 1980. Then 1985… Having said that, I had formally tried the 1984 (WF 85) and the 1986 (WF 88), but never the 1985. How strange, let’s remedy that unbearable situation! Colour: amber. Nose: we were silly, this is perfect sherry, raisiny, sweet and rounded, with tarte tatin, crème brulée, and assorted preserved fruits. Especially peaches and apricots, which are never completely absent from these styles. Then the expected menthol, the very, hugely discreet smokiness, and the meaty touches. Say ham stewed in a honey sauce. RU hungry yet? Mouth: really much sweeter than I remembered, full of raisins, with echoes of the extremely thick Gran Reservas. If you ever stained your shirt with any of those, you could just throw it away! Anyway, this little 18 is sweet and cool, but it’s a little, say vulgar because of the rather excessive sweetness. Mind you, it’s almost Diplomatico. Quite. Finish: medium, sweet, loaded with all raisins ever created either by God or the geneticists. Comments: I know these slightly boneless Macs now go for quite a lot of money, but really, that’s very silly. IMHO. SGP:641 - 84 points.

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