Port Ellen 7th Annual Release 28 Years Old 53.8% 1979

Distillery	Port Ellen
Bottler	OB
Serie	Annual Release
Bottled for	X
Distilled date	1979
Bottling date	2007
Country	Scotland
Region	Islay
Age	28
Cask Type	Oak Casks
Cask Number	X
Alcohol percentage	53.8
Volume	0,70
Condition	In original container
Label	Perfect
Stock	0

Professional reviews

Serge Valentin (92)

Colour: pale gold.

Nose: it seems that this one is a rather complex version, which does not start only on big whiffs of burning tyres and lemons but also on soaked grains, porridge and wet ropes. The peat smoke is big as expected but it’s melted into the rest. Mullein flowers, crystallised lemons, lemon honey, vanilla crème, raw wool, clams, spearmint. It gets then a little more austere but never ‘brutal’. A civilised Port Ellen?

Palate: well, yes, in a certain way. Quite interestingly, this one reminds me more of an old Ardbeg than of a Port Ellen on the palate. Very nervous and very ‘wide’, with notes of tangerines, Chinese anise, bubblegum (hints), smoked tea, gentian spirit (hello Vienna?), crab, green Chartreuse and even Jägermeister, liquorice roots... Gets almost restless now, concentrated, big, bitterer and bitterer (more herbs liqueurs)... What a presence!

Finish: long, more on marzipan now, green walnuts, liquorice, kippers, sea water (remember?)

Well well well, we had thought this one would be a very nice and gentle whisky when nosing it first but at the finish it got quite a monster. A vampire? Great whisky anyway – nothing really new under the sun.

Words of Whisky (91)