Sercial Dry Frasqueira (bottled 2013, 24yo) 1989

More time in wood equals more complex wood-and-balsam volatile secondary beauty. The fruit characters are raisined, dried, preserved and citric all at once, wandering through a sky-wide nose of fine aromatic timber, grilled bread and nuts. Dry Sercial's vegetality is largely subsumed by fine old wood perfume. It's complex as all get-out, but with great harmony and composure. Dry and saline in the mouth, it's almost austere but with a nice textural generosity through the palate, marked by complex herbal-woodiness and juicy palate acidity.