Blandy’s Colheita Malmsey 1996 was aged for 15 years in seasoned American oak casks in the traditional ‘Canteiro’ system, whereby the wine is gently heated by warm air in the lofts of the company’s south-facing lodge in Funchal. Over the years the casks are transferred from the top floor to the middle floor and eventually to the ground floor where it is cooler. The wine is regularly racked during the ageing process and is finally bottled when the desired balance of maturity is reached.