Not so surprisingly, the 25-year aging period of this balsamic vinegar paid off. Although you won't find it in supermarkets, tasters waxed poetic about its "pomegranate," "caramel," "smoky" flavor that "coats the tongue" and tastes "amazing."

This was the sweetest and thickest of the vinegars we tasted. Plain, it had a "sweet, nuanced flavor" with a "nice balance" of tart and sweet. In glaze, it was "nice . . . smooth, with no burn," offering "great complexity and fig flavor," with "a little zing." In vinaigrette, it was "very good—to the last drop."

A true standout in the vinaigrette, where its acidity lent brightness, winning raves as "extremely smooth and tangy." In glaze, it had "full-bodied" taste. Tasted plain, however, it lost points for harshness that "burns the back of your throat."

Tasters liked this vinegar’s fruity flavor with "musky," "woody," "fermented" tones. In vinaigrette, it was a little too mellow, with tasters calling it "bland" and even a bit "boring." As a glaze, however, it was "very palatable," with "just the right amount of sweetness."