Deep, still-staining garnet with wide brick edges.  Honestly, there’s not a whole lot going on in the nose of this thing.  It opens with a wallop of raw-egg funk and vegetal–more vegetal than I would expect from these people (This is Silver Oak, no?) and a generous spice but unfortunately both of those lovely nuances blow off quickly and you are left with a ripe, round, hintingly-tarry chocolate elixir showing every inch of its 8 years.  No, it is not tired or pruney, but it definitely is showing some creases around the eyes.  The tone of its otherwise steely-and cassis-laden bouquet is just a tad on the flabby-side, but not at all unenjoyable.  The buttery elegance juxtaposes exotic spice with aplomb.  There’s a lot more going on in the mouth than the smell on this one, and after you taste it, the nose weakens a bit.  Completely mouth-coating, but not in a gum-arabic/glycerin/viscous sort of way–a full, rich, perfectly ripe was with all the mineral and chocolate from the nose very evident but with a generous helping of acid.  Tannin creeps in even on entry–at first just a hint, then a shadow, then growing to just about the extent which can be pulled from a marketable Merlot.  The fruit–rich, round black cherry–comes tethered to a briary extension of the vegetal-and-tar bouquet experience.  My biggest problem with many hi-end Merlots has always been the fruit falling apart mid-palate.   This does no such thing.  Now, will the fruit last another five or ten years against the bracing tannins?  Well, that’s the chance you take with Merlot.  I say it is drinking perfectly now through 2020 tops.  14-1    ♦♦