Galway Pipe 20-year-Old Rare Muscat
- 96
- $80
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The old Galway Pipe Tawny Port was a standard, go-to fortified for many wine lovers in past years and it is terrific to see it back, albeit in a slightly different guise, as an aged Muscat, as part of an expanded range. From Barossa material, with a Rutherglen contribution, it is a tribute to the former Governor of South Australia, Sir Henry Lionel Galway, who was in office during WWI. One of those wonderful fortifieds that one cannot look at without feeling sticky fingers. A dark teak colour with a burnt orange rim, this is all toffee and treacle with rich glacéd figs, raisins, plum pudding and ginger, nuts, dark chocolate and orange rind notes. seriously intense throughout with an extremely long palate, it is inevitably sweet, but clean and offers a fine, non-cloying conclusion. The contribution from aged material here cannot be underestimated. This is decadence in a bottle. Drink it anytime you feel like spoiling yourself.
Ken was born and bred in Brisbane, Queensland. He had a non-trendy, perfectly happy childhood, in a family convinced alcohol meant instant condemnation to Hades. But a break fishing on the Great Barrier Reef, and some good wine, started a serious obsession that eventually took over. It did not stop Ken being chastised later for drinking Pol champagne, disgusted he’d drink anything made by a Cambodian dictator. Now, Ken mostly writes on wine, champagne and spirits for various newspapers, magazines and books, but is perhaps best known for his work in The Courier Mail. He also has a little sideline writing on cigars, fishing, travel and food. When not writing, fly-fishing for trout in NZ or bonefish on the flats of Cuba, travelling or smoking cigars, he is no doubt following a variety of sporting teams – the occasionally glorious Queensland Reds rugby, the dysfunctional Washington Redskins, the dodgy Arsenal and especially revels in the world restored to its proper axis with the return of the Ashes to their rightful home.
