Port Ellen 1981 Bottled 1993 Sails in the Wind Moon Moon Import The Sails in the Wind

Port Ellen 1979 30 YO, 9th Release

The reviewed sample is of a 1979/2009 30 YO Port Ellen, the 9th release from 1979. Many thanks to @maltster for the sample Nose: really gorgeous peat flavours, gentle, yet strong enough to make an impression. The peat seems to manifest both sweet and sour at the same time, and also in a nice alternation. Smoke influence is quite mild, but...

Score 89/100

Port Ellen 26 Year Old 1983 Milano Festival 2009

How many whisky festivals have ever bottled a Port Ellen, I wonder. Not many, I presume. But in 2009 the visitors of the Milano Whisky Festival were able to purchase this 26 years old Port Ellen at cask strength. Something like this would be impossible today, for the simple fact that it would be prohibitively expensive. Sturdy nose on white fruit...

Score 86/100

Port Ellen 1979 32 Year Old 11th Release

Port Ellen Maltings was one of the first whisky related structures I saw as I drove into Bowmore from Islay Airport. It's nothing but a huge drab structure with massive chimneys billowing peat smoke. And there's pretty much nothing there to remind you of the distillery that once stood there till 1983. Except for maybe the warehouses that now hold...

Score 98/100

Port Ellen 25 Year Old Release 4 (2004)

Slightly darker in colour than the Glenmorangie Traditional. Lighter than /Chardonnay/ coloured. Wasabi spicyness on the nose with a touch of ammonia and pineau des charentes. First touch of my tongue is all spice, tingling on the tongue, leather, bearskin rugs, fireplace, tobacco, teak wood, bourbon in a crystal decanter, and bush; 1969 all over...

Score 90/100