La Gitana Oloroso Faraon VORS / Hidalgo: Amber Elegance
Fortified 20% ABV ABV HidalgoProper grown-up sherry
Bought this for my dad's 70th and we ended up sharing the whole bottle after dinner. The walnut and dark chocolate thing is real — it's like drinking a really fancy dessert but not sweet. At £80 it's not cheap but for a VORS sherry it's actually reasonable. That finish goes on forever.
Complex but takes commitment
Had this at a sherry tasting evening and it was probably the most interesting one on the table. Really nutty with that orange peel on the nose. Not something I'd drink a lot of though — you kind of need to be in the mood for it. Small sips wine for sure.
This stuff is special
I've been getting into sherry lately and this is next level. The fig and roasted almond on the finish just keeps going and going. It's made from Palomino Fino grapes which apparently is the classic sherry grape. Expensive yes but a bottle lasts ages since you pour small measures.
Interesting but not my thing
The wine shop guy recommended this when I said I wanted to try something different. It's very intense — lots of dried fruit and a salty edge I wasn't expecting. Honestly a bit much for me at this price point, I think I'd rather spend £80 on a couple of nice reds.
Converted me to sherry
Never thought I'd rate a sherry this highly but here we are. That Seville orange peel smell when you first pour it is gorgeous. The finish with the sea salt and fig is genuinely one of the longest I've experienced in any wine. Had it with some dark chocolate after dinner and it was a great match.
Amazing with cheese
Picked this up after trying oloroso for the first time on holiday in Jerez. The salty almond finish is unreal, literally sat there for ages just tasting it. Paired it with some aged manchego and blue cheese and it was perfect. 20% ABV sneaks up on you though!
Great after dinner sipper
Saw this on a restaurant menu and thought why not. Really rich and concentrated but there's this bracing salty quality that stops it being too heavy. The cinnamon on the nose is lovely. Would definitely order it again as a digestif but probably wouldn't buy a whole bottle for home.
Bit pricey for what it is
Got this as a birthday present and while it's nice enough, I'm not sure I'd pay £80 myself. The dark chocolate and walnut flavours are good and there's a cool salty mineral thing going on. Just not sure it's twice as good as a £40 bottle. Maybe I need to develop my palate more.