Taylor's Historical Collection Reserve Tawny lll

It’s hard to imagine a more arresting centrepiece to any dining table than the Historical Collection Reserve Tawny Port III from Taylor’s.

Taylor’s Historical Collection is a series of limited editions that pay homage to the changing shape of Port bottles since the early 18th Century. The first release was a charmingly dumpy bottle lovingly named “The Onion”, the second was a flatter flagon and a bestseller at Harvey Nichols called “The Chestnut”, and the latest is “The Mallet”. This striking shape had become well established in the UK by the 1730s and shows the progression from the globular bottle (that didn’t allow cellar ageing) towards the more modern cylindrical style we’re familiar with today.

This gorgeous bottle holds an exceptional Tawny Port that’s ready to drink and requires no decanting other than straight into your glass. The liquid contained within The Mallet is a blend of carefully curated Ports from Taylor’s extensive Tawny stocks stored at Vila Nova de Gaia, all of which have been matured for long periods in wooden barrels imparting deep, nutty flavours. The result is very Christmassy, displaying plum, fig, sultana, raisin and marzipan notes, alongside leather, coffee, butterscotch, cigar box, salted caramel and woody spices. We recommend serving at around 12-16°C with a cheeseboard including blue cheese and almond-stuffed Medjool dates; dark chocolate-based desserts; berry compote; frangipane; roasted nuts; or festive fare such as Christmas cake, figgy pudding, stollen and mince pies.

Taylor’s is the archetypal Port house, synonymous with this style of wine. This is proven by the Royal Warrant it holds as one of the Suppliers of Port Wine to Her Majesty The Queen. Although steeped in history as you would expect of a family-run business established in 1692, the forward-thinkers at Taylor’s are also committed to sustainable viticulture and have installed solar panels on three of their properties.