Port Ellen 5th Annual Release 25 Years Old 57.4% 1979

Professional reviews

Serge Valentin (92)

Colour: gold.

Nose: an extremely farmy and tarry start, with quite some high-end rubber (as Davin would say). Gets then very grassy, with also notes of pumpkin soup, celery, chervil… Very assertive, going on with wet dog and wet hay and finally hints of aniseed, camphor and fuel oil. I like this nose a lot.

Mouth: really punchy and powerful, with lots of salt and lots of smoked ‘stuff’ as well as a little mint. Lots of smoked tea, liquorice, notes of kippers. A rather straightforward palate without the notes of burnt rubber that can appear in some Port Ellens. With water, the nose gets even farmier, the water making the phenols go out. Heavy notes of cow barn. The palate gets fruitier, on dried pears and earl grey tea… Really excellent.