The vicarious Feis Ile sessions - Today Port Ellen Maltings


May 28, 2021

The vicarious Feis Ile sessions
Today Port Ellen Maltings

Celebrating Islay and Feis Ile from Whisky Fun Towers, with carefully selected whiskies from most distilleries, while we're all dreaming of 2022...

I believe today should have been the beginning of Feis Ile but due to a tiny bug (it's really not a bug, S.) they had to cancel the event, just like last year. So we cannot go/fly/swim/row/sail to Islay this year, but what we could do is to try a few of their whiskies on their theoretical official days, what do you say? I'm not sure we'll find the time to have many of them, sometimes probably just one or three that we'll select carefully, but there, you get the idea. Or maybe we'll push things and have quite a lot on certain days? You're right, as we would do on location? We shall see… In the meantime, here's 'our' programme:
Friday May 28 : Port Ellen Maltings
Saturday May 29 : Lagavulin
Sunday May 30 : Bruichladdich
Monday May 31 : Caol Ila
Tuesday June 1 : Laphroaig
Wednesday June 2 : Bowmore
Thursday June 3 : Kilchoman
Friday June 4 : Bunnahabhain
Saturday June 5 : Ardbeg
Sunday June 6 : Jura

And so, this is Port Ellen Maltings Day (is it?) but we won't crunch any peated barley, we'll be content with just one new independent Port Ellen. Sadly, we won't be allowed to marvel in flesh at the construction works of the 'new' Port Ellen Distillery, but we shall try a 1983 which, as you know, still is Port Ellen's very last vintage whisky, until the new Distillery is three-years-old that is. Oh and glad to think of Port Ellen Distillery after we've witnessed the rebirth of Brora just this week. Glorious people, work, and most probably whisky.

Port Ellen 36 yo 1983/2019 (53.5%, Hunter Laing, Eidolon, Release 01, 638 bottles)

This baby was bottled in 2019 but it only came out around Christmas last year. It is, according to the very engaging bottlers, 'a whisky of contrast – both testament to historic wisdom and a celebration of modern whisky expertise'. We shall not argue, only remember that just like at Brora, the rare 1983s were rather superior, in my book, to earlier vintages such as 1979, 80, 81 or 82. As if the Distilleries had been bidding farewell (you'll make us all cry, S.). Colour: deep gold. Nose: it is a rather rounder Port Ellen, which may come either from older age, or from sherry wood. Or from both. A feeling of smoked almonds, old riesling, smoked haddock, then cigars, walnuts, hardwood and teak oil. Cedarwood, humidor, chicken broth. Quite superb but you do feel it's holding back a wee bit, perhaps. With water: it's lifted to fresher, more herbal floors. Spearmint, a touch of basil, then mushrooms, moss… And fresh walnuts. Mouth (neat): double-whammy, no water needed this time. Someone's smoked chocolate and coffee, herbal teas, oranges and lemons, clams and other seafood, and most of all, walnuts. A little caramel, where does that come from? With water: earthy black tea and chestnut honey, plus liquorice and mint. It's also slowly becoming tarrier, which was to be expected. Finish: rather long and frankly tarry now. One of Port Ellen's main markers in my book. Goes on for a long time on sour soups, sorrel, spinach, watercress… And back to smoked coffee, chocolate and walnuts. It's come full circle. Very ashy and almondy aftertaste. Comments: these Port Ellens are unbreakable, rotproof, and just eternal. What's more; great balance peat/sherry in this one. Happy Feis Ile!
SGP:466 - 93 points.

Over to Angus in Edinburgh...

Port Ellen 18 yo 1982/2001 (43%, Douglas McGibbon 'Provenance', sherry)
A 1981/2000 version in the same series I tried recently was excellent (WF90), let's see if this adjacent vintage is a match. Colour: amber. Nose: a lovely nose, all on soft medical embrocations, natural tar, fir wood and pine resin. Eucalyptus oils, BBQ embers, peppered game meats and a very salty and precisely earthy old school sherry. Many smaller notes of walnuts and balsamic beneath. I think Port Ellen can be extremely charming at these kind of lower ABVs sometimes. Mouth: wonderful arrival, all on intensely concentrated tars, oily, slightly grubby peat smoke, smoked black pepper, more cured game meats, incense, TCP and iodine. Huge for 43%! Finish: long, leathery, black puffer smoke, smoked fish, dried seaweed and pickled walnuts. Comments: just totally marvellous balance between peat and sherry, both being rather powerful but perfectly entwined. I adore this humble wee Port Ellen. I think the bottling strength was extremely clever here.
SGP: 566 - 91 points.

Thanks Aaron.

Check the index of all Port Ellen we've tasted so far