Palo Cortado is considered the most enigmatic of all sherry styles - a wine that begins life as a Fino and along the way evolves into something entirely different.

Expert's Description

Rey Fernando Antique Palo Cortado is a Fortified Wine from Spain with an alcohol content of 20%.

The wine comes from Bodegas Rey Fernando de Castilla, founded in 1837 and regarded among the Jerez area's absolute top producers. The Antique range is the house's oldest and most complex sherries, and this Palo Cortado has an average age of over 30 years - a style that unites Amontillado's freshness with Oloroso's depth.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Orange marmalade, roasted almonds and hazelnuts, marzipan, caramel and a hint of rose pepper and incense.

Palate

Full-flavoured and well-balanced with burnt toast, dried figs, walnuts and a salty, tangy edge.

Finish

Very long with notes of citrus and a waxy touch.

Serving & Food Pairing

Serve at 12-14°C in a small sherry glass. Pairs with aged cheeses, nuts and tapas with cured ham.

Specifications

Name: Antique Palo Cortado
Producer/Winery: Rey Fernando de Castilla
Region/Country: Jerez, Spain
Vintage: Non-vintage (NV)
ABV: 20%
Size: 50 CL
Vegan: No
Serving Temperature: 12-14°C
Decanting Recommended: No
Glass Type: Sherry Glass
EAN: 8423360040035

Flavour Profile

Complex · Nutty · Salty · Spicy

Did You Know?

Palo Cortado occurs when a Fino sherry unexpectedly loses its flor yeast during ageing and instead begins to oxidise like an Oloroso - a phenomenon no cellar master can force with certainty, which makes the style unique and rare.

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In the sherry bodegas of Jerez, retired sherry casks are rarely used for anything other than brandy - and few do it better than Fernando de Castilla, who have made brandy production an equal discipline alongside the house's sherry.

Expert's Description

Rey Fernando Solera Gran Reserva is a Brandy de Jerez from Spain with an alcohol content of 38%. Bodegas Fernando de Castilla in Jerez de la Frontera produces exclusively Solera Reserva and Solera Gran Reserva on the brandy side, unlike many other houses that offer several quality tiers. The brandy is first aged in new French and American oak barrels, after which it is moved to barrels that previously held the house's finest sherries - a process that transfers character from both the wood and its former contents. The solera system means each bottle is a blend of several vintages, where the oldest part of the blend sets the tone for the whole.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Dried figs, walnuts and a hint of sherry oxidation on the nose.

Palate

Full and complex on the palate with notes of caramel, toasted nuts and dark chocolate.

Finish

The finish is long and warm, with a final note of spiced wood.

Serving & Food Pairing

Serve at room temperature in a snifter or cognac glass. Enjoy on its own or with dark chocolate and mature cheeses.

Specifications

Name: Solera Gran Reserva
Producer/Winery: Bodegas Fernando de Castilla
Region/Country: Jerez, Spain
Appellation/Classification: Brandy de Jerez
ABV: 38%
Size: 70 CL
EAN: 8423360010021
Serving temperature: Room temperature
Glass type: Snifter

Flavour Profile

Full-bodied · Nutty · Complex · Warm

Did You Know?

Brandy de Jerez is the only brandy in the world required by regulation to be aged in casks that previously held sherry - it is precisely this reuse of casks that gives the brandy its characteristic depth.

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In 1972, 15 casks were separated from the bodega's solera and set aside. Since then, not a drop has been drawn from them - until now. Unico is the result of that decision, made more than 50 years ago.

Expert's Description

Rey Fernando Unico Solera Gran Reserva is a Brandy de Jerez from Spain with an alcohol content of 40%. Bodegas Fernando de Castilla in Jerez de la Frontera set aside a batch of 15 casks from the house solera in 1972, and nothing has been drawn from this specific stock since. From the year 2000 onward, a limited number of bottles have been hand-bottled each year from this unique reserve, with only 360 bottles in total from this particular batch. The brandy has aged in American oak barrels that previously held old sherries, giving it a depth that is rare even among Gran Reserva brandies.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Intense on the nose, with toasted mahogany tones, tobacco and thyme.

Palate

Sweet on the palate with biscotti character and a hint of ripe cherry, carried by a full-bodied structure.

Finish

The finish is very long, warm and spiced.

Serving & Food Pairing

Serve at room temperature in a snifter. Enjoy on its own as a digestif, preferably after a meal.

Specifications

Name: Unico
Producer/Winery: Bodegas Fernando de Castilla
Region/Country: Jerez, Spain
Appellation/Classification: Brandy de Jerez
ABV: 40%
Size: 70 CL
Number of bottles: 360
Serving temperature: Room temperature
Glass type: Snifter

Flavour Profile

Full-bodied · Spiced · Complex · Warm

Investment Potential

Medium. Unico is an extremely limited release of just 360 bottles from a batch of casks left untouched since 1972, making it attractive to collectors of rare Spanish brandies.

Did You Know?

The 15 casks that Unico comes from were separated from the house's wider solera in 1972 and have lain completely untouched since - making this brandy one of the oldest continuously aged batches in the entire Jerez region.

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Riedel has been hand-blowing glass since 1756, and the Sommeliers range is where the family's philosophy that shape defines taste was truly proven. The Sherry glass is a faithful copy of the classic Spanish original.

Expert Description

Riedel Sommeliers Sherry 4400/18 is a mouth-blown crystal glass designed specifically for Sherry, with a tall stem and a bowl that tapers towards the rim.

The glass was introduced into the Sommeliers range in 1980 and is shaped after the traditional Spanish Sherry glass from Jerez. The tapering bowl concentrates Sherry's delicate aromas, while the thin, undecorated crystal - inspired by the Bauhaus principle that form should follow function - lets the flavour come through undisturbed.

Specifications

Name: Riedel Sommeliers Sherry 4400/18
Manufacturer: Riedel
Material: Mouth-blown crystal
Height: 211 mm
Volume: 190 ml
Quantity: 1 piece
Series: Sommeliers

Did You Know?

The Sommeliers Sherry glass works just as well for tequila - its narrow bowl suits concentrating the aromas of both drinks, even though they're worlds apart in style.

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Some bottles have travelled further than most. This one has made its way from sun-soaked vineyards in Jerez to an old wine merchant in Hamburg, and the label still carries the marks of that journey. A bottle with patina, not polish.

Expert's Description

Sandeman Cream Sherry Oloroso is a fortified wine from Jerez, Spain, with an alcohol content of 18%. Sandeman is one of the most respected names in both Port and Sherry, founded in London in 1790 by the young Scotsman George Sandeman, who borrowed £300 from his father to start a wine trading business with goods from Porto and Jerez.

This bottle is an older edition of the house's classic Cream Sherry, imported at the time to the German market by Charles Hosie GmbH in Hamburg. The label references "By Appointment to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II," a mark Sandeman carried for many years as a supplier to the British royal household. The Cream Sherry Oloroso style typically starts as a dry-fermented Oloroso base, into which a sweeter Pedro Ximénez sherry is blended to add colour, body and sweetness. The result is a dark, oxidatively aged fortified wine, far removed from the light, fresh style of Fino and Manzanilla.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Deep and complex, with notes of roasted nuts, raisin and a touch of caramel. Beneath the sweetness sits a hint of wood and old leather, typical of oxidatively aged sherries.

Palate

Full and soft on the palate, with dried fruit, walnut and a creamy sweetness from the Pedro Ximénez addition. The texture is thick, almost syrupy.

Finish

Long and warm, leaning towards dark chocolate and roasted almonds.

Serving & Food Pairing

Best served at 10-12°C in a small sherry glass that gathers the aromas. Decanting is not necessary. Cream Sherry Oloroso pairs naturally with blue cheese, dark chocolate or a simple caramel-based dessert. As an older collector's bottle, we recommend checking the condition of the cork and liquid before opening it to drink.

Specifications

Name: Sandeman Cream Sherry Oloroso
Producer/Winery: Sandeman
Region/Country: Jerez, Spain
Appellation/Classification: Jerez-Xérès-Sherry (DO)
Vintage: Non-vintage (NV)
ABV: 18%
Size: 70 CL
Serving Temperature: 10-12°C
Decanting Recommended: No
Glass Type: Sherry Glass

Flavour Profile

Full-bodied · Sweet · Nutty · Creamy

Did You Know?

The iconic "Don" in Sandeman's logo was drawn in 1928 by Scottish artist George Massiot Brown. The figure wears a Portuguese student's cape and a Spanish sombrero at once, a visual tribute to the house's dual home in both Porto and Jerez.

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When Alexander Williams rented a warehouse in Jerez in 1877 to start his own bodega venture with his brother-in-law Arthur Humbert, he could hardly have imagined that their 1906 blend would one day become the very benchmark for accessible, well-balanced sherry the world over.

Expert's Description

Williams & Humbert 15 Year Solera Especial Dry Sack is a Sherry from Jerez, Spain, with an alcohol content of 20.5%. Bodegas Williams & Humbert was founded in 1877 and has produced Dry Sack since 1906, the house's iconic blend of Amontillado and Oloroso with a touch of Pedro Ximenez. This 15-year edition is a Solera Especial, meaning the sherry has achieved an average age of 15 years through the solera system, giving it considerably more depth and complexity than the house's standard Dry Sack. The bodega has historically helped establish the quality demarcation for Jerez-Xeres-Brandy and is today counted among the world's most respected sherry producers.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Complex on the nose, with nuts, dried fruit and a light oxidative character.

Palate

Medium-bodied on the palate with a fine balance between dryness and a touch of sweetness from the Pedro Ximenez component.

Finish

The finish is long, nutty and warm.

Serving & Food Pairing

Serve at 12-14°C in a sherry glass. Enjoy as an aperitif or with tapas, nuts and mature cheeses.

Specifications

Name: 15 Year Solera Especial Dry Sack
Producer/Winery: Bodegas Williams & Humbert
Region/Country: Jerez, Spain
Appellation/Classification: Sherry, Solera Especial
Age: 15 years
ABV: 20.5%
Size: 50 CL
EAN: 8410028901784
Serving temperature: 12-14°C
Glass type: Sherry glass

Flavour Profile

Nutty · Complex · Medium-bodied · Warm

Did You Know?

The name Dry Sack comes from the English translation of the Spanish "seco", meaning dry, and was chosen to signal the sherry's balanced, not overly sweet style when the brand launched in 1906.

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Dry Sack is often described as the first sherry to receive an official age designation, giving it a very special place in the history of Jerez.

Expert's Description

Williams & Humbert 15 år Solera Especial Dry Sack Sherry is a Fortified Wine from Spain made from a blend of Palomino and Pedro Ximénez, bottled at 20.5% ABV.

Williams & Humbert is a tradition-rich sherry house, founded in 1877, that has refined the art of making sherry in the classic Jerez style for generations. Dry Sack is created by blending Palomino, which contributes structure and dryness, with Pedro Ximénez, which brings sweetness and fullness. The wine matures oxidatively for at least 15 years in the traditional Criaderas y Soleras system.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Dried nuts, especially walnut and hazelnut, with subtle oxidative notes.

Palate

Full and balanced with a fine acidity that lifts the sweetness and gives room for nuances of nuts, caramel and dried fruit.

Finish

Long and pleasant with warm, nutty tones.

Serving & Food Pairing

Serve at 12-14°C in a small sherry glass, ideally with a couple of ice cubes. Pairs with pasta dishes, tapas, mature cheeses and dishes with mushrooms and nuts.

Specifications

Name: Dry Sack
Producer/Winery: Williams & Humbert
Region/Country: Jerez, Spain
Grape Variety(ies): Palomino, Pedro Ximénez
ABV: 20.5%
Size: 75 CL
Vegan: No
Serving Temperature: 12-14°C
Decanting Recommended: No
Glass Type: Sherry Glass

Flavour Profile

Full-bodied · Nutty · Sweet · Complex

Did You Know?

Williams & Humbert was founded in 1877 by Sir Alexander Williams and Arthur Humbert, and the house helped create the Jerez-Xérès-Brandy quality designation - it is today regarded among the most prestigious wine producers in the world.

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Williams & Humbert 20 Year Don Guido Solera Especial Pedro Ximénez Sherry is one of the most luxurious and deeply concentrated PX sherries produced in Jerez.

Expert's Description

Williams & Humbert 20 Year Don Guido is a Spanish Fortified Wine from Jerez with an alcohol content of 18%, made exclusively from Pedro Ximénez grapes. The grapes are sun-dried after harvest to intensify the sugar content and create the characteristic, almost syrupy sweetness for which PX sherry is famous. This Solera Especial has aged for at least 20 years through the solera's systematic blending of vintages, giving a complexity achieved only through decades of slow maturation.

Tasting Notes

Nose

The nose offers raisins, fig, dark chocolate and a hint of coffee.

Palate

The palate is dark, dense and irresistibly full-bodied with syrupy sweetness and notes of dried fruit.

Finish

The finish is long and concentrated with lingering notes of raisin and chocolate.

Serving & Food Pairing

Serve at room temperature in a small sherry glass. Pairs excellently with blue cheese, dark chocolate or as a digestif on its own after a meal.

Specifications

Name: 20 Year Don Guido Solera Especial
Producer/Winery: Williams & Humbert
Region/Country: Jerez, Spain
Grape variety: Pedro Ximénez
Vintage: Non-vintage (NV)
ABV: 18%
Size: 75 CL
Serving temperature: Room temperature
Decanting recommended: No
Glass type: Sherry glass

Flavour Profile

Syrupy · Concentrated · Raisin · Dark chocolate

Investment Potential

Medium. A 20-year-old Solera Especial from a respected house like Williams & Humbert has both age, craftsmanship and a limited production scope, which traditionally makes this category of PX sherry sought after among collectors.

Did You Know?

The PX grape is traditionally dried on mats in the sun for up to two weeks after harvest, which can concentrate the sugar content so much that the finished sherry can contain over 400 grams of sugar per litre.

See our full range of Williams & Humbert