There have been a lot of Port Ellen bottlings the last couple of years, and I know there won't be too many years before they'll seize to appear, as the youngest whisky soon will turn 30 and prices will become so extreme that it's close to ridiculous. Some might say it already is. The whiskies I'll try in this session are all bottled within the last couple of years.
Port Ellen 27yo 1982-2009 48.6% Murray McDavid
I think this is my first (and probably only) ever white wine (sauternes) finished Port Ellen. I'm trying not to be too skeptic, but its hard to wrap my mind around why someone would put a 20-something Port Ellen from a single bourbon-cask to finish for some time in wine-cask of such that shows very unstable results when used. I hope it'll be a success-story this time, much like the early batches of Glenmorangie Nectar D'Or, and not such failures as those I've come across when tasting Sauternes-finished Glendronach. Either way, I got to give credit to Murray McDavid for even daring such a dubious move. The color is that of honey. The nose is rich and floral, boiled lentils, apple cider, burnt rubber, not my fav Port Ellen so far. The taste is somewhat a salvation, with lots of good apple cider, sweet vinegar, vanilla and peat. Not as coastal as I'd think, more of a fruity surprise. But I like this style, and the Sauternes impact in this one is perhaps one of the best I've come across so far.
Fresh, fruity and sweet peat: 8.5
Port Ellen 26yo 1982-2009 50% Douglas Laing cask#5398
A small sample of approximately 2.5cl, which I'm hoping to enjoy as I have a full bottle of it unopened somewhere. Light golden color, smells way peatier than the Sauternes finished one, and more coastal as well, salty, peaty, cigar smoke and sea salt, flinty, a bit like old women perfume, you know the smell that old aunts and such bring to the family parties. Cedar wood, rubber and insulin (ever tried that? A peculiar scent). The taste is all on sweet licorice, peat, blueberries and mint cigarettes. It's like it's right on the border between brilliant and almost boring. The taste is perfect as it should be, but it's all so mild and gentle, the tastebuds is left longing for more. As if it's just a bit out of focus. But that sweet licorice taste however makes for a perfect little aperitif dram.
I believe this would be a winner if bottled at cask strength: 6.5
Port Ellen 30yo 1979-2010 52.6% Douglas Laing Platinum
I think this is the first ever bottling from the Platinum series of DL I've ever tried. Good new is that its bottled at cask strength. It smells sweet, cinnamon, caramel, dry roasted nuts and red paprika spice alongside parmesan cheese and honey. Hints of vanilla and dried clay are also present. The taste is way more burnt and bitter than the prior two, and I thinnk it's gonna need some water. With additional H2O it gets sweeter and peatier, but foremost a huge vanilla influence is coming through. This one is definitively a step or two behind the MM-version, and perhaps the OMC as well.
A boring PE, not many of those around: 5.5
Port Ellen 27yo 1983-2011 55.5% The Whiskyman "While my Guitar Gently Weeps"
An old whisky named after an even older Beatles song. And what a fitting name for this whisky as I think there are few, if none, distillery closings that have made as many men weep as the one of Port Ellen. This has a more salty and spicy nose, reminds me a bit of the 10yo Talisker somehow. Gunpowder, struck matches, thyme, mint, basil leaves, opens up nicely after a while. Goes on with vanilla, soap and woolen fabric. The taste is peaty and sour, lemon rind and rhubarb leaves. The peat is more bitter than smoky in this one, and the oakiness is far too overpowering. I think it's a nice way of showing of Port Ellen, but if I had it my way, I think they could've put this one into a Sauternes cask for finishing as well. Or bottled it way earlier for that matter.
This one lacks a certain degree of spirityness(?): 6.5
Next distillery: Benromach Distillery
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