Curvada de Velha (1970s)

*An old bottle (unopened) found at my parent's house. Visual: dark copper; quick, evenly-spaced legs. Nosing: dark plum skin; tart-smelling and vinous. High-tannin oak and vanilla bean. There's also a strong soy sauce/teriyaki notes. Black pepper, dates, and dried figs. Tasting: dry oaky finish; sweet off the bat, TONS of dark chocolate on the back palate. There's also lots of dark fruits up front as well--red raisins, prunes, dates, and figs. There's lots of clove and cinnamon character as well. This tastes like a rich fruit cake with a very liberal amount of dark chocolate drizzle layered onto it. I'm surprised at how good this surprise find is! It's definitely a great sipper and it's a very complex Portuguese spirit. It's definitely a great after-dinner aperitif and it's great to savour.