Sandeman 40 Year Old Tawny Port

This is an exceptionally contemplative and luxurious Tawny Port—rich, aged, and brilliantly composed. It offers an opulent fusion of dried fruits, toasted nuts, honeyed warmth, and layered spices. Despite its age, it remains vibrant and focused—an ideal choice for slow, reflective sips or elegant dessert pairings.

Overview & Background

• Producer: Sandeman, a prestigious Port house established in 1790, known for its aged Tawny Ports. 

• Age Statement: A blend of Ports aged up to 40 years, masterfully combined to deliver depth, complexity, and a refined house style. 

• Awards: Widely acclaimed — awarded 97 points at Decanter World Wine Awards 2022, 99 in 2021, plus gold medals at IWSC and IWC, and high ratings from Wine Spectator. 

Tasting Notes

• Nose: Intensely perfumed, with richly layered aromas of vanilla, oak, honey, dried apricot, figs, raisins, nuts, and warm spice. 

• Palate: Deep, smooth, and complex. Expect luscious flavors of dried fruits (fig, date), toasted almonds and walnuts, caramel, toffee, and a hint of orange peel or butterscotch. 

• Balance: Exceptionally well-integrated—the warmth of oak aging meets still-fresh acidity, preserving vibrancy even at this age. 

• Finish: Long, refined, and warm—lingering nutty, sweet-spice echoes that make each sip memorable.

Ratings & Reviews

• Wine Enthusiast: 96 points — “Intensely perfumed and hugely concentrated… almonds, walnuts, dried fruit and aged honey… totally memorable.” 

• Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate: 94 points — described as full-bodied and powerful yet lively, with a focused finish and molasses-leaning complexity. 

• Additional critics (Wine Spectator, Wine & Spirits) applaud its elegant depth and powerful finish. 

Summary Table

Sandeman’s 40-Year-Old Tawny is a masterclass in aged Port—an indulgent blend that retains elegance even after decades in oak. It’s a wine to savor slowly, worthy of special moments and thoughtful pairings.

"The NV 40 Years Old Tawny Porto is a typical Douro blend bottled in June 2018 with a Vinolok stopper and 125 grams per liter of residual sugar. It is here, finally, in the Sandeman tawny lineup this issue that the wine feels full-bodied and seriously powerful. This rolls around the palate nicely and lingers in that classic old-tawny fashion. There is considerable grip on that flavorful finish. For all of its power and concentration, this 40 is also as lively as any of its younger siblings. While it certainly shows somewhat older, with darker flavors leaning a bit more to the molasses side of the equation, it is still bright, penetrating and focused. It is the pick of the litter of the Sandeman tawnies this issue. To be sure, there's a steep uptick in price from the 30 to this—which might make the well-priced 30 the sweeter spot in the lineup if you want complexity—but this is easily the better wine. There were 4,800 bottles produced." Robert Parker 94 Points

"At first taste, this appears amazingly fresh for a 40-year-old, but then the older flavors kick in. There is concentration, ripeness and huge intensity of flavor. It's a beautiful wine, with dried apricots giving freshness." Wine Enthusiast 93 Points