Port Ellen Distillery (Closed 1983)
ABV 60.9%
Bring on the caeser salad.
Michael Jackson
Rare Malts Selection
Brand
20 Years Old
Expression
Single Malt
Type
20
Age (Years)
60.9%
ABV
Islay
Region/Country
Independent Bottling
Bottling Type
Taster
Nose: Appetising. Bay trees. Seaweed.
Palate: Lightly oily. Fruity olive oil. Parsley. Edible seaweed.
Finish: Salty. Smoky. Oaky. Extremely peppery.
Comment: Bring on the caeser salad.
Score: 8.5
Taster
Nose: Surprisingly light for a big Islay. The peat is delicate, nothing like as seaweedy or intense as the other Islay malts from the south-eastern shore. Briny, malty.
Palate: Contrary to the nose, the peat arrives by the wheelbarrow-full. Sweet and heathery with gentle spice.
Finish: This trademark clean but dusty maltiness of Port Ellen. Very, very long.
Comment: This particular distillation seems actually to have exceeded the 35 ppm phenols that were the norm for Port Ellen. A stunningly peaty dram; an absolute must for Islayphiles.
Score: 9.5
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