Sandeman Jerez, `Don` Fino

Although primarily associated with Port, Sandeman have been fully committed to Sherry ever since George Sandeman first set up an office in Cádiz, Andalucia in 1809. Today, Sandeman concentrates its Jerez production on a handful of premium, old solera sherries.

The ‘Sandeman Don’ is one of the most iconic images of the world of wine. Painted in 1928 by George Massiot Brown, it reflects the house’s dual dedication to Portugal and Spain. The cape was modelled on the attire worn by university students in Porto, while the sombrero was a nod to the family’s presence in Jerez.

Aged biologically under flor, for a minimum of five years, Sandeman’s ‘Don’ Fino is bracingly dry, fresh and tangy on the palate. The ‘Character’ Medium Dry Amontillado has a lovely nutty complexity balanced by a touch of sweetness from the 5% Pedro Ximénez in the blend. The ‘Armada’ Superior Cream Sherry spends more than ten years ageing oxidatively as an Oloroso in the solera system. Sweetened with 10% Pedro Ximénez, this Cream Sherry is bursting with aromas of dried fruits and roasted walnuts and is wonderfully smooth and velvety on the palate. The ‘Royal Ambrosante’ is a sumptuously sweet 20-year-old Pedro Ximénez drawn from an old solera established in 1894. The ‘Imperial’ Brandy de Jerez is aged for one year in Sherry casks, it boasts aromas of dried fruits, butterscotch and vanilla and a smooth and lingering finish.