Pe5

Pe5

Elements of Islay, Specialty Drinks Ltd
Single malt - Islay
Pale gold 
57.9% ABV
Dram

Nose: Creosote, lemon juice, tarry rope, fish sauce, dates, angelica root, smoke, hints of star anise. With water, dates, leather, acacia honey, hints of star anise. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, slightly oily, cool, tingly. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Creosote, peat, smoke, soot, dates, sea salt, magic marker, star anise, hints of acacia honey. With water, leather, soot, dates, lemon juice. 
Finish: Medium. Creosote, soot, peat, smoke, lemon juice, magic marker. 

Comments: 

Quite bitter and savoury, with complex layers of flavour. Water brings out some sweetness, alongside a big wave of soot. A rather chemical dram but well aged with huge complexity.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Port Ellen 24yo 1982/2007

Port Ellen 24yo 1982/2007

The Whisky Fair
Single malt - Islay
Pale gold
59.6% ABV
Dram

Nose: Tyre rubber, fish sauce, farmyard, charcoal ash, leather, lemon zest, hints of nutmeg. With water, smoke, cream, leather. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, mouth coating, warm, tingly. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Charcoal ash, smoke, peat, farmyard, lemon zest, honey, cream, hints of nutmeg. With water, charcoal ash, tyre rubber, cream, lemon zest. 
Finish: Long. Lemon zest, honey, cream, peat, hints of charcoal ash. 

Comments: 

I like 1982 Port Ellen, even if I’m told 1981 is better. This one is savoury and ashy, with a slightly fishy flavour. It goes well with the smoke and peat. With some water it eases up, bring out some citrus and cream notes.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Port Ellen 18yo 1979/1988

Port Ellen 18yo 1979/1988

Cask Strength, Gordon & Macphail 
Single malt - Islay
Golden
61.1% ABV
Dram

Nose: Grapefruit, dates, fish sauce, smoke, lemon juice, pomeloes, blueberries, fresh cut grass, white pepper. With water, grapefruit, pomeloes, white pepper, fish sauce. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, loosens, volatile, tingly. 
Tasting:  Bitter salty. Smoke, blueberries, fresh cut grass, white pepper, dates, green tea, leather, peat. With water, pomeloes, grapefruit, green tea, white pepper, candle wax. 
Finish: Short. White pepper, dates, green tea, pomeloes, candle wax. 

Comments: 

Tasting a Port Ellen is a rare treat these days, of course. This one is citrusy and savoury, with a peppery, smoky edge. It’s not like others I’ve had, the smoke is rather restrained and gentle. It’s ‘lickable smoke’, as a fellow taster put it.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Port Ellen 27yo 1983/2010

Port Ellen 27yo 1983/2010

Douglas of Drumlanrig, Douglas Laing
Single malt - Islay
Golden
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Roast beef, cinnamon, baked apples, smoke, leather, peat, hints of fish sauce. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loose, airy, cool. 
Tasting:  Bitter. Roast beef, honey, apple juice, leather, white grapes, smoke, hints of raisins. 
Finish: Medium. Fish sauce, dates, raisins, apple juice, white grapes. 

Comments: 

Cask LD 6443. Another chance to taste Port Ellen, can’t be many left. Anyway, it’s a slightly atypical one, the smoke is gentle and fades a little into the background, there are a lot of fruity notes over the underlying savouriness that I like in Port Ellen. 

Verdict:

I like this.

Port Ellen 34yo 1982/2016

Port Ellen 34yo 1982/2016

Extra Old Particular, Douglas Laing
Single malt - Islay
Bright gold
48.5% ABV
Dram

Nose: Fish sauce, soy sauce, wood smoke, dates, brown sugar, leather, peat. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, thickens, oily, sticky. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Pomegranates, dried apples, brown sugar, fish sauce, smoke, hints of peat. 
Finish: Long. Peanuts, smoked fish, dried apples, leather, peat. 

Comments: 

Cask 11481. This Port Ellen was a real treat. The nose gives me some idea as to what really old Kilchoman might taste like, smoky dates with savoury hints, but on the tongue, it was unmistakably Port Ellen. The savoury hints strengthened into smoked fish, wreathed through with brown sugar and dried apples. Lovely.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

Port Ellen 15th Release 32 yo 1983/2015

Port Ellen 15th Release 32 yo 1983/2015

Official bottling
Single malt - Islay
Amber
53.9% ABV
Dram

Nose: Fish sauce, stewed apples, raisins, leather, pears, smoke. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loose, slightly watery around the edges, airy. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Stewed apples, dates, raisins, peat, smoke, leather, hints of pomegranate. 
Finish: Medium. Apples, peat, raisins, salt caramel, hints of pears. 

Comments: 

Rare chance to try something like this! It's amazing. Fruity and drinkable, the peat and smoke are ameliorated by a ton of jammy fruity notes. Pomegranate molasses anyone? The finish is especially magnificent, peaty apples drizzled with salt caramel. Mmmm. Who knew that Islay whisky could be good as dessert?

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

Port Ellen 30 yo 1978/2009

Port Ellen 30 yo 1978/2009

Old & Rare Platinum, Douglas Laing
Single malt - Islay
Pale straw
52.5% ABV
Dram

Nose: Butter, pear, peat, smoke, peanuts, smoked fish, hints of vanilla.
Mouthfeel: Light body, watery, thickens, refreshing.
Tasting: Bitter sweet. Smoke, peat, vanilla, honey, smoked fish, butter, peanuts.
Finish: Long. Bitter, walnut skins, smoked fish, peanuts.

Comments:

Lovely old Port Ellen - although maybe I'm biased because this is exactly as old as I am! Nice smoked fish as usual, with a lovely bitter walnut note underpinning it. And vanilla, surprising how well the flavour melds in with the rest.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

Port Ellen 25 yo 1982/2008

Port Ellen 25 yo 1982/2008

Independent bottling, Dormant Distillery Co
Single malt - Islay
Golden
57.3% ABV
Dram

Nose: Smoke, peat, lemons, oranges, black pepper, hints of kippers.
Mouthfeel: Medium body, slightly oily, thickens.
Tasting: Sour. Smoke, peat, kippers, leather, lemons, peanuts, sea salt, custard, honey.
Finish: Short. Smoke, peanuts, lemons, leather.

Comments:

Very nice indeed. So good that there's no need to add water. Lots of the leathery, fishy character that is says Port Ellen to me. Great mouth feel too. There's not much of this left, have to enjoy whatever I can get!

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

Port Ellen 25 yo 1982/2007

Port Ellen 25 yo 1982/2007

Old Bothwell
Single malt - Islay
White wine
51% ABV
Dram

Nose: Smoke, sweet cherries, vanilla, clotted cream, hints of peanuts.
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, oily, smooth, silky.
Tasting: Sweet. Smoke, peach, lemongrass, custard, sweet cherries, tobacco.
Finish: Long. Citrus tang, smoke, hints of peat.

Comments:

Cask 2471 (sherry). I think this would have been the same whisky as the Old Malt Cask bottling tasted a while back, but for the sherry cask. Great peach and sherry notes, with something citrusy and tangy lurking in the finish and in the background. Nicely spiced, smoky offering, thumbs up all the way.

Verdict:

I like this a lot!

Port Ellen 20 yo 1982/2003

Port Ellen 20 yo 1982/2003

Connoisseur's Choice, Gordon & Macphail
Single malt - Islay
Green gold
40% ABV
Dram

Nose: Smoke, peat, sweet heather, salted fish, tobacco leaf, pistachio, sea salt.
Mouthfeel: Medium body, smooth, silky.
Tasting: Sweet salty. Vanilla, tobacco, lemongrass, thyme, iodine, hints of caramel.
Finish: Short. Leather, hints of cherries.

Comments:

Very interesting colour indeed - very Australian. Port Ellen whisky is often described as slipper-and-kipper. I think I get it now; the salted fish and leather is quite clear here. Very good indeed, great combination of savoury and sweet, in the proportions that I like.

Verdict:

I like this a lot!

Port Ellen 25 yo 1982/2008

Port Ellen 25 yo 1982/2008

Old Malt Cask, Douglas Laing
Single malt - Islay
White wine
50% ABV
Dram

Nose: Smoke, peat, coconut, soya sauce, salted popcorn.
Mouthfeel: Heavy, thick, syrupy, velvety.
Tasting: Salty. Cigar smoke, peat, oranges, peanuts, horse dung.
Finish: Long. Fried onions, walnut skins.

Comments:

Refill butt 4112, 589 bottles. This is lovely stuff. Oh why did they close this distillery?! Great savoury spectrum of flavours - fried onions, soy sauce, salted popcorn. Heavenly (even the horse dung is good, I now know what "clean" manure flavour refers to). Excellent indeed. I bought a bottle which I'm going to husband very carefully.

Verdict:

I like this a lot!