Don Papa Sherry Casks 45% NV

Professional reviews

Serge Valentin (81)

18 months of finishing in four types of sherry casks: fino, PX, cream, and palo cortado. It’s a ‘limited edition’—some might say that’s for the better. Apparently, the sugar content in this version has been moderated enough to qualify as “rum” rather than “spirit drink” in the EU, unlike some other Don Papas. Right then, let’s taste it… Colour: gold. Nose: not bad! Plenty of molasses with mentholated and liquorice-like touches, then moving towards wisteria, raisins, and cane honey. Honestly, the nose is rather good, but we all know where the devil hides—the palate… Mouth: what’s this, no avalanche of saccharose? Quite surprising, actually, even straying into HSE territory in terms of balance between wine, wood, and rum. Then it veers towards a family pack of liquorice allsorts but, I insist, not in the ultra-sweet way of other versions. That’s kind of remarkable. Finish: medium length, clean, again with black tea, followed by Corinth raisins and peach. Comments: the sherries seem to have done a superb job. The blenders too—one should never lose hope. One also gets the impression that Diageo is doing something similar to what they did with Zacapa at the time—essentially getting the brand back on a better track 'transparency-wise' after acquiring it just two years ago, whether they were forced to or not.