Greatest Stickies: Tokay or Muscat?

[pizzler]

I would have told you that I like them both about the same, perhaps because I lump them together in a unique after-dinner wine category. But when I look over my tasting notes I find that I distinctly prefer muscats to tokay stickies from the high end (Chambers Rosewood Muscat Rare) to the low end (Yalumba Muscat Museum Reserve) and plenty inbetween (Campbells Muscat Rare Merchant Prince, Burge Family Muscat, Wilsford Old Barossa Muscat, and others). I really enjoy many tokay's I've had...Campbells Tokay Isabella Rare, Buller & Son Tokay Premium Fine, and an All Saints Estate Tokay Grand Rutherglen that I've been enjoying for several days now. The muscats seem to have more fruit variety and depth to them, whereas the tokays seem more of a variation on a yummy sweet raisin.

I'm sure I'm missing plenty of good examples of both kinds of stickies. They are hard to find in the States. What are some of your favs?

[monghead]

On the whole, I must admit I enjoy the muscats more. They seem to have more depth of flavour across the range than the tokays.

I associate the raisin/rancio characteristics predominantly to the muscats, and the caramel/butterscotch characteristics to the tokays.

I can only appreciate both in very small quantities, as I think I was born with a miniscule sweet tooth, and usually defer this decadence to the better half (who prefers muscats)...

Either way, I believe they are excellent value for money, when compared to other after dinner drinks as single malts or cognacs.

Cheers,

Monghead.

[Waiters Friend]

This really depends on what is being served with the (fortified) wine.

I probably have a slight inclination towards the muscat myself, but possibly because the chockies have come out by then. Tokay (topaque?) seems less suited to chocolate (or sugar or cheeses), but is possibly a more satisfying or interesting wine on its own.

An interesting subject.