Port Ellen 22 Years Old Rare Malts Selection 60.50% 1978

Professional reviews

Serge Valentin (93)

This baby scored 93 in my book but that was eleven or twelve years ago (if you say how time flies, I’ll kill you – haha).

Colour: gold.

Nose: yeah well, as I said, it’s close to the Alambic, with maybe more roundness (no it’s no rounded whisky) and a slightly wider profile. So brine and tar up and rather less flints and paraffin. A little more fresh walnuts and apple peelings as well. Diesel oil, a little vanilla from the wood that I wouldn’t have noticed without having first tried the very naked DL. With water: nearly perfect. Once again, no complex whisky but who needs more than brine, tarry smoke, lemon and almonds/putty in perfect synch?

Mouth (neat): that’s where this one scores better when undiluted, it’s all a massive, extremely salty and hugely tarry and liquoricy spirit. Wheelbarrows of salted liquorice and when I write salted, that’s an understatement. With water: purfektion. Fab peat – tar – salt – lemon – combo, with crates and crates of kippers behind all that.

Finish: long, on exactly the same notes. A feeling of fullness.

Comments: I can’t see why I would score this baby differently this time. Loved it and love it.

Words of Whisky (91)