Cuatro Palmas Amontillado (González Byass)
Since the 1880’s González Byass has used the Palmas system to classify quality Finos. The traditional ‘palma’ chalk mark was made on the barrel to indicate wines of exceptional finesse and delicacy of aroma. Over time they would earn more ‘palmas’ with the oldest and rarest casks bearing four marks.
Unfortunately the Palmas have been released exclusively in Spain and the UK so far. But even in those countries it was hard to find a bottle. Tomorrow we can witness the introduction of the new Palmas 2013 online. Hopefully they will be distributed to more markets this year.
Cuatro Palmas Amontillado (21%, González Byass, October 2012, 150 btl.)
Nose: intense, with quite a lot of exotic spices (aniseed, cardamom) alongside nutty notes (almonds, walnuts) and dark caramel. Dried prunes. Liquorice roots and tobacco leaves. Hints of waxed old furniture and oil paintings. Flax ropes and very light iodine. Cocoa notes as well. Huge complexity, all the way from bone dry to rounded aromas.
Mouth: elegant and silky smooth, but with an impressively powerful entry. Good salty / sour balance. Hints of dry Madeira wines. Quite some salty / maritime notes as well as some lemon. Ponzu sauce. Sultanas. A clear wood influence, but still within limits, especially if you consider its age. A spicy aftertaste, with a lot of varnishy notes again. Overall surprisingly round. Very long finish.
Availability: originally only Spain and the UK, now other select markets as well. Hard to find anyhow. Around € 95 for a 50 cl bottle. Check The Whisky Exchange or Bodeboca for international shipping.
Summary: An extraordinary glimpse of a 45 year-old Tio Pepe! A very deep nose with an endless array of micro-aromas, and a remarkable absence of woody astrigency on the palate. A supreme Fino-Amontillado.