American wine expert reviews Buckfast: “Send an exorcist”

Reddit remains an active forum for sharing insight on food and drink. The wine thread on the social network took an unexpected turn when an American wine aficionado added tasting notes for a half bottle of Buckfast Tonic Wine to his portfolio of online reviews. A transatlantic exchange of views ensued.

Before sampling the wine, he removed the cap for 30 minutes to “bring in some air.”

The drinking experience begins: “Decided to try while cooking dinner. Poured into a glass, first glance has a very inky almost brownish color that you see in older wines. Very syrupy, liquid clings to the side of the glass when swirled. “

The nose of the wine was described as “Barnyardy funk (in a bad way) almost like a dead animal in a bird’s nest. A mix of flat Coca Cola and caramel with a whiff of gun metal.”

Other Reddit users added their own perspective:

“You’re not drinking Buckfast properly unless that dinner was given to you in a polystyrene box and you’re eating it under a bridge”, one user wrote.

“Yeah ur not supposed to drink it ur supposed to just close ur eyes and let it go down your throat”, another said.

“A friend once described it to me as the drink that makes you fall down the stairs but bounce right back up at the bottom. This is a fair assessment” a user commented.

Local context was provided: “My Scottish boyfriend is from an area known as “The Buckfast Triangle”. That stuff terrifies me. There are people from there who specify that they want “table wine” when they want to be clear that they would prefer to not drink Buckfast.

“That said, I’ve had some lovely Buckfast mince pies. Which is possibly also something that doesn’t translate too well if you’re not from the UK.”

There was a warning: “As you can probably tell, it’s not a dinner drink to share with the family, it’s great for partying. It tastes…. Bad, and I like red wine so I mean bad compared to wine. If you keep it in the fridge it tastes better.”

You can read the full review below.

For more on Glasgow’s rocky relationship with tonic wine, read here.

Buckfast Tonic Wine (No Vintage)

American tasting this for the first time (cousin brought over from NI). Screw cap, took it off about 30 minutes before to bring in some air. Apparently made by monks in England. Decided to try while cooking dinner. Poured into a glass, first glance has a very inky almost brownish color that you see in older wines. Very syrupy, liquid clings to the side of the glass when swirled. Almost 15% ABV.

Stuck my nose in and was hit with something I’ve never experienced before. Barnyardy funk (in a bad way) almost like a dead animal in a bird’s nest. A mix of flat Coca Cola and caramel with a whiff of gun metal.

On the palate, overwhelming sweetness and sugar. Cherry Cola mixed with Benadryl. Unlike anything I’ve tasted. I’m not sure what this liquid is but it is not wine, I’m actually not sure what it is but it tastes like something a doctor would prescribe. A chemical concoction of the highest degree. Can only compare it to a Four Loko.

Managed to make it through a couple small glasses but not much more. Has absolutely ruined the evening drinking-wise for me as I tried to drink a nice Bordeaux after but the iron-like metallic sweet aftertaste I just couldn’t get out of my mouth even after a few glasses of water. I don’t drink a lot of coffee regularly so I also have mild heart palpitations from the caffeine after just drinking a bit of this and feel a slight migraine.

An ungodly concoction made by seemingly godly men. I believe the Vatican needs to send an exorcist over to Buckfast Abbey as the devil’s works are cleary present there. After tasting this “wine,” the way I feel can only be described as akin to being under a bridge on one’s knees orally pleasing a vagrant while simultaneously drinking liquified meth through a dirty rag.

I’ve drank a lot of wines in my life and will never forget this one.