Merry Christmas! We're Going to Eleven - plus Two


December 25, 2024

Merry Christmas!
We're Going to Eleven - plus Two - with Port Ellen (1969-1983)

Port Ellen before WWII (Diageo)

Port Ellen at night in March 2024 (special event - WF Archive)

Once again, my apologies for this headline, ha. In any case, 2024 will have been the year of the restart for the famous Islay distillery, following a reconstruction that was decidedly freer than that of Brora, which was rebuilt almost identically. We were fortunate enough to witness Port Ellen’s first distillations this past March, under absolutely incredible early spring sunshine, with a light that only Scotland can offer.

But let’s not digress—today, as we face a wait of ten to twelve years before tasting the mature new Port Ellen (although we wouldn’t rule out wandering through the warehouses in the meantime), we’re once again paying tribute to Port Ellen as it was between 1967 and 1983, its final period of activity before a long, forty-year silence. It’s always striking to recall that Port Ellen, in its most recent incarnation before closure, had only “spoken” for sixteen years in total—borrowing a phrase from the Ileachs themselves. Prior to that, it had remained closed from 1929 to 1966!

Today, we’re going to sample Port Ellens from various periods, spanning the late 1960s to the spring of 1983. We’ve only ever tasted the 1967 or 1968 once—through the famous 12-year-old expression offered to guests during Queen Elizabeth’s visit to the island in 1980. We know of no others, as the first vintage of Port Ellen to be widely released by merchants was 1969—and that’s precisely where we’ll begin this little tasting session.

Port Ellen 24 yo 1969/1993 (40%, Gordon & MacPhail for Sestante for Carato, The Van Gogh Collection, sherry wood)

Gordon & MacPhail appear to be among the only independent bottlers to have acquired ‘new filling’ from Port Ellen as early as 1969. These years coincided with the boom in rather smoky blends across the globe, notably Johnnie Walker, which likely prompted the DCL group to boost production on Islay, thus reviving Port Ellen. Colour: gold. Nose: we have often wondered why malts from that era seemed to handle bottling strengths as low as 40% ABV so well, whereas many contemporary malts tend to falter slightly at such levels. As you may have guessed, this 1969 is remarkably fresh yet impressively composed on the nose, though we know the year was magical at Port Ellen. Tiger balm, oysters, tar liqueur, smoked fish, eucalyptus, thyme tea, menthol, plus hints of an ‘old factory’ and ‘ancient library’. In short, old paper, used oils, iron, aged leather, and antique waxes… An astounding nose. Mouth: sublime, profoundly Port-Ellennian, with an astonishingly ashy and tarry power followed by bitter almonds and a growing presence of seawater. The salinity is incredible, almost inexplicable at this strength. In the background, touches of squid ink, oyster sauce, and carbon dust emerge. Finish: it is rare for a whisky this drying to remain so marvellous. A sense of sucking on coal. Waves of seawater return through the retro-olfaction. Comments: it is always a bit tricky to start a tasting with such splendour, as it may put some other malts at a disadvantage. On the other hand, it is generally better to begin with lighter and more fragile strengths. Supposedly. I must add that these whiskies do require a little focus—even at such degrees and despite the distillate’s grandeur, they might just slip by unnoticed.
SGP:467 - 94 points (with a slight touch of sentiment, I freely admit).

Port Ellen 1977/1992 (40%, Gordon & MacPhail, Connoisseurs Choice)

This features the typical ‘old map label’ of that era, which followed the ‘brown banner label’ and, before that, a few ‘old black labels’. It was later replaced by the ‘new map label’ in the late 1990s, along with cork stoppers instead of the screw caps, which were criticised at the time but are now somewhat missed here and there. Friends are never satisfied. Colour: pale gold. Nose: if I may say so, this is not in the same league as the fantastic 1969, showing overripe apples, dried seaweed, slight cardboard-like and oily touches, dried mint leaves, and a faint hint of hay. The peat, slightly medicinal, is more subdued, though one must recall that the newly rebuilt Caol Ila had just resumed large-scale production of peated whisky after being demolished in 1972 and reconstructed. Still, this remains a very lovely Port Ellen, especially once notes of lime and smoked salmon emerge. Mouth: far smokier and even more bitter than the nose suggests, offering cold mint tea, black pepper, old paper, and a trace of bitter caramel. It tends to fall off somewhat mid-palate, almost certainly due to the lower strength. Finish: medium length, with a metallic impression (silver spoon) and peppered, salted apples. There is also a slight hint of green coffee. Comments: a very fine old Port Ellen, albeit less self-assured, more fragile, and slightly disjointed. I would also add that these ‘G&M CC’ releases at 40% ABV suffered somewhat from comparison with their cask-strength counterparts, especially the superb ‘CASK’ series.
SGP:566 - 88 points.

Port Ellen 15 yo 1977 (40%, Gordon & MacPhail, Connoisseurs Choice, John Gross & Co. Baltimore, +/-1992)

Port Ellen 15 yo 1977/1993 (40%, Gordon & MacPhail, Connoisseurs Choice, John Gross & Co. Baltimore)

Never shying away from any sacrifice, here is a version of the same whisky, or a very similar batch, bottled for the United States. Did you know, by the way, that Low Robertson, owners of Port Ellen, were one of the first—if not the first—Scottish houses to export their malts to the United States? Their most famous blend, packed with Port Ellen malt of course, was called ‘Old Guns’. Colour: yellow gold. Nose: initially different, perhaps a touch waxier and cardboard-like, also slightly more pastry-like (pecan tart), yet the two 1977s eventually converge once all the molecules settle. A very charming, old-style charcoal nose. Mouth: we are very close right from the start, with this highly saline profile and smoked fish. It may tend to fade slightly later on, as shellfish, citrus, and tars briefly take over. Finish: medium length, slightly cardboardy and, once again, faintly metallic. A hint of green pear. The aftertaste returns to more typical ‘Port Ellen’ notes, featuring tar, seawater, and fish oil. Comments: we are still not in the realm of burnt rubber and cask-strength solvents, but it is true that we remain within the so-called lighter bottlings.
SGP:566 - 88 points.

Port Ellen 1979 (40%, Spirit of Scotland, Speymalt - Gordon & MacPhail +/-1994)

Like Jas. Gordon, Spirit of Scotland was a brand used by Gordon & MacPhail in certain markets where differentiating from the main label was likely driven by purely commercial reasons. In any case, we have never noticed any significant difference in terms of quality. Colour: pale gold. Nose: a more direct style, perhaps narrower but also more compact and cohesive, with increased notes of lemon, chalk, and iodine, as well as a distinctly more medicinal character, featuring bandages and mercurochrome… It is quite magnificent, and one cannot help but think of the neighbouring distillery just to the east. And no, we are not yet speaking of the new Portintruan distillery - yet. In any case, there is superb tension in this nose. Mouth: as with the 1969, the low strength is hardly noticeable, entirely offset by a nervy distillate that even hints at manzanilla, with pronounced chalky, saline, and fresh walnut tones. It remains very clean, despite a wave of ashes and burnt matter arriving in force. Finish: almost long, slightly vinegary and distinctly lemony, fiercely tarry, saline, and still medicinal. Plenty of green pepper, ashes, and brine linger in the aftertaste. Comments: we have friends who enjoy these Port Ellens as mizuwari, and I can confirm they handle this treatment beautifully. I mean the malts, of course.
SGP:467 - 91 points.

Port Ellen 24 yo 1975/1999 (43%, Signatory Vintage, Millennium Edition, cask #1764, 355 bottles)

For the record, we adored these metal tubes but alas! they were a little ill-prepared for the rise of online shopping and often suffered all sorts of misfortunes during transit. Colour: pale gold. Nose: a more restrained Port Ellen, almost whispering, with wet newspapers, ink, small oysters, and seaweed at low tide, followed by a petrol-like Riesling character reminiscent of Ribeauvillé. The peat never intrudes, and there are even hints of yellow melon. Mouth: the impact of just three extra degrees on the palate is astonishing, as we observe time and again. All the dials seem to be turned up now, especially those of ashes, pepper, lemon zest, and cider apple… Yet everything remains sleek and precise, indeed ultra-compact. Finish: rather long, peppery, and herbaceous, this time with a slightly rustic touch. Ashes and a hint of barley syrup linger in the aftertaste, followed by the impression of having just swallowed a small oyster. Comments: one of those bottles that allowed us to celebrate the arrival of the third millennium in style. I must admit the cask-strength versions from Signatory Vintage had greater breadth, but some of them could send you ad patres without warning if you weren’t careful.
SGP:566 - 89 points.

Port Ellen 30 yo 1974/2005 (46%, Signatory Vintage, Decanter Limited Edition, hogshead, cask #6757, 235 bottles)

According to the label, this expression was bottled by hand. From my modest experience, peat at around thirty years of age can begin to break down fractally into myriad small aromas, often circling around fruits, especially tropical ones. I would add that the mid-2000s marked the start of speculative collecting among enthusiasts, driven by the boom in websites. The result was that far more bottles were purchased, yet far fewer were opened and consumed, proportionally. Quite a few of these bottles now appear on auction sites. Colour: chardonnay. Nose: it is perfect, compact, focused, yet expressive, with brine, nuts, the usual tar, tiger balm, citron, and shellfish—mainly winkles and whelks. Not much more to add, it is simple and it is perfect. Mouth: superb tension, featuring grapefruit and green pepper. Nothing much else apart from tar and oysters, but that is more than enough, allowing this old Port Ellen to retain a very clear profile, contrary to what I may have expected. Finish: long, rather oily, with smoked salmon, lemon, dill, and—believe it or not—horseradish and salt. A faint resinous touch lingers in the signature. Comments: I have long been searching for a word to replace ‘precise’ but without success. If you have any suggestions, many thanks. In any case, a truly grand Port Ellen.
SGP:567 - 92 points.

Port Ellen 23 yo 1975/1998 (56.1%, Signatory Vintage, Silent Stills, cask #160, 285 bottles)

We adored this collection, which always included a 5cl miniature and a piece of the cask (supposedly). Legend has it that some of the miniatures fetched higher prices at auction than their corresponding full-sized bottles. Several Port Ellen vintages were part of the series, though this particular release seems especially rare. Colour: pale gold. Nose: stunningly beautiful, pure, and compact without water, showing polish, lemon zest, marzipan, fuel oil, and that distinctive ‘new tyre’ note typical of some Port Ellens. It reminds me of the official ‘Rare Malts’ released around the same time. With water: it fractures beautifully outward from the polish, moving into brass cleaner, Barbour grease, ski wax, paraffin, old paint pots and varnishes, and rust-proofing products… before the fuel oil and rubber snap back into focus. Mouth: tremendous precision. Citrus, peppers, polishes, propolis, and ashes—almost abstract in its clarity. With water: this time it remains compact and concentrated, leaning even more towards lemon and white pepper. Finish: very long, highly taut, fresher and more saline, with slightly less emphasis on anything hydrocarbons. I think that works perfectly here. Comments: there is a touch of raw power in this Port Ellen, but perhaps that’s exactly what we sometimes seek—to be dominated by such a whisky. Well, let’s debate…
SGP:567 - 93 points.

Port Ellen 30 yo 1978/2008 (54.2%, Douglas Laing, Platinum Old & Rare, 423 bottles)

An expression that already feels like it hails from the tail end of the golden age of independent Port Ellens, which were beginning to grow a little scarcer—or so it seemed to me. I’ve never been able to confirm whether the owners, Diageo, had started implementing a policy of buying back casks from brokers and independents, but it would certainly have made sense. Colour: pale gold. Nose: what can I say, except that this is a softer, rounder Port Ellen, leaning more towards oils—particularly toasted sesame oil—then candle wax, wakame, mild soy sauce (for dim sum), and white asparagus. In short, it has begun to show highly tertiary characteristics, which is, of course, magnificent. With water: a blend of tar and seawater takes centre stage. Mouth: an immediate spicy and jammy side, reminiscent of salted and peppered fig jam. Grapefruit, lemon, and yuzu follow closely, then oysters with Tabasco and a fair amount of liquorice and turmeric. It’s rather feisty, once again. With water: perfect, with marzipan, olive and sesame oils, then the expected notes of salt, tar, and ashes make their return. Finish: very, very salty—you almost feel like you’ve swallowed a mouthful of seawater right in the middle of the Mediterranean. Or perhaps in Port Ellen’s marina. Comments: quite sublime, even if the Silent Stills may have slightly overshadowed it.
SGP:566 - 91 points.

Port Ellen 1981/2000 (60.4%, The Bottlers, refill sherry butt, cask #1549)

We may well be about to close one of the highest-scoring tastings I’ve conducted in at least twenty years. The Bottlers, while they were still active, firmly held the top spot on our lists of bottlers—both independent and official. Since then, we’ve stopped maintaining such controversial rankings. Colour: gold. Nose: we are firmly in Rare Malts territory here, with that raw edge, hints of detergent and solvent, fresh tar, flint, and basalt, followed by lemon zest and fresh shellfish—razor clams, cockles, clams… One inevitably thinks of the finest white Graves. We must bow in respect, you see. With water: unexpectedly, it folds back onto its foundations—preserved lemon, seaweed, and coal tar. Quite amusing. Mouth: these 15XX casks are simply unstoppable—brutal, ultra-taut, superbly structured, downright fiery if you dare take a sip undiluted. The Scottish equivalent of bird’s-eye chilli, in short. In the background, an oddly fleeting hint of strawberry cream appears, though one sometimes catches that note drifting past the maltings—have you ever noticed? With water: all in on seawater, olive oil, lime, and polish. Finish: very long, with a massive arrival of ashes doused in lemon juice. Comments: no room for improvisation here—this is engineered to the millimetre. I would say this kind of profile no longer exists in 2024, whether in terms of distillate or its admirably restrained cask influence.
SGP:567 - 93 points.

Port Ellen 27 yo 1982/2009 (58.6%, Signatory Vintage, La Maison du Whisky Collector’s Edition, hogshead, cask #1523, 229 bottles)

A bottle that impressed me greatly upon release, with the black label adding even more ‘drama’, as the younger generation might say. Naturally, I secured a bottle, but it’s been at least ten years since the last drop vanished—apologies for the excessively ‘inside’ remark. Colour: gold. Nose: I rediscover that slightly unusual floral and metallic edge, exotic fruits hovering between banana and mango, old furniture wax, a distinctly ‘1969’ character, a few nods to its close neighbours on the shore and to Bowmore, high-grade engine oil, pollen, and dusty old books. With water: very pretty, now showing pistachios and macadamia nuts, rowanberry eau-de-vie, and those familiar old paint pots in the basement. Mouth: massive and dominant, once again. Melon rind, tar, eucalyptus, wax, seawater, a hint of lanolin, and above all a beautifully orchestrated medley of citrus fruits. With water: flawless, as the water elevates both the citrus and wax to centre stage. Once again, there’s that rowanberry eau-de-vie, which one might enjoy in Alsace over pistachio ice cream, in varying proportions (see what I mean). Finish: long and complex, slightly rustic and herbaceous, with ferns and moss. The peat resurfaces in the retro-olfaction. Comments: we used to say that a complex, evolving malt was a ‘whisky-film’ as opposed to a ‘whisky-photo’. I wonder if we might be dealing with a ‘whisky-series’ here.
SGP:457 - 93 points.

Port Ellen 14 yo 1983/1998 (56.8%, The Cooper’s Choice, The Vintage Malt Whisky Co., sherry)

An amusing release, mistakenly vintage-dated as “1993” instead of 1983. In any case, we’ve already tasted many wonders from The Cooper’s Choice and believe the final months of what must now be called the ‘Old Port Ellen’ rank among its very best—much like Brora’s final days. But let’s verify… Colour: gold. Nose: magnificent, as expected, leaning towards pine and fir ashes, turpentine essence, hints of radish and mustard, and a faintly smoky old fireplace. There’s also that manzanilla-like note we’ve detected in others. It’s pure and precise, and opportunities to taste young Port Ellen of this calibre are now few and far between. With water: the sea, shellfish, fish, fresh paint, tarred ropes, old blue plastic crates, Muscadet, and seaweed… Mouth: a direct hit to the chin—pepper, mustard, maximum peat, and three tonnes of tar. Let’s try to regain composure… With water: small herbs emerge—dill, fennel, damp earth, parsley, and watercress. It’s fresh, it’s perfect, and it balances out the slightly massive nature of the distillate. Finish: long and jammier, with slightly salted orange marmalade. All sorts of ashes jostle in at the very end. Comments: it’s always moving to taste these final vintages, but now that Port Ellen has been rebuilt and is speaking again (as is Brora!), things are starting to feel more celebratory once more. In any case, what a beast this young Cooper’s Choice is.
SGP:467 - 93 points.

Angus's Corner
From our correspondent and
skilled taster Angus MacRaild in Scotland

Here is my modest contribution to the Port Ellen-flavoured Whiskyfun Christmas celebrations. All the best from WF Scotland's West Highland office by Loch Fyne, have a braw holiday, one and all!

Port Ellen 1982/2007 (46%, Berry Brothers & Rudd, cask #2850)
Colour: white wine. Nose: it could be the bottling strength, but it feels like a much gentler side of Port Ellen, with many crushed seashells, coal smoke, some of that familiar 'grubby' character (think fisherman's wellies, creel nets etc) and then some crushed nettles and pink grapefruit which bring a feeling of fruitiness. Very attractive profile that somehow manages to feel both simple and complex - I know, makes no sense. Mouth: nicely punchy arrival, much more focussed now, with a big, assertive coastal character. Many wet rocks, mineral salts, seawater, lemon juice on shucked oysters and an impression of carbolic acidity - like taking a big mouthful of fermented peaty wash during a distillery tour, like we used to offer at Ardbeg during more innocent times. I also find some lovely elements such as heather flower and sandalwood, which once again nod towards a lighter side of PE. Finish: medium length, crisply smoky, still persistently coastal and with some classic medicinal characters such as iodine and TCP in the aftertaste. Comments: an easy Port Ellen for your tumbler at Christmas, in theory anyway, sadly my sample is finito! Looks like Serge wasn't 'too' impressed with this one back in 2010 (WF85), I think it's a bit better than that, but perhaps that's what 15 (what?!?!) years in the bottle will do...
SGP: 455 - 88 points.

Port Ellen 1979/1988 (65.3%, Scotch Malt Whisky Society 43.3)

Port Ellen 1979/1988 (65.3%, Scotch Malt Whisky Society #43.2)
These early SMWS bottlings from the big name distilleries are now hyper-scare. Thankfully, our contacts in the world of wealthy highland fish and chip merchants remain deep and robust... Colour: bright straw. Nose: leaps out of the glass like a horny salmon up a well-laddered waterfall! Which is to say: pure petrol - even glycerine - seawater, mustard powder, camphor and many assorted 'beach things', foam, sand, barnacles, driftwood and shellfish etc. Beautifully coastal but at the same time giving the impression of immense thickness, body and texture. There's also some weighty peat smoke in there, which has the slight impression of sweetness about it, and overall an amazing 'noseability', even at such an immense strength. With water: please call the anti-maltoporn brigade! What's that, their out of office says they are drinking in a Japanese whisky bar in Drumnadrochit for two weeks? It's really quite a tight and narrow profile, all about coal smoke, tar, raw peat character and seawater, but within that it's utterly dazzling and immensely powerful. Mouth: petrol, lemon juice, camphor, anthracite, raw horseradish and lashings of pure tar - you could dissolve a Mini Cooper in 2cls of this beast! Yet again, amazing power combined with amazing approachability. Peat-smoked lemons combined with lemons preserved in brine, then raw green olives, hints of aniseed and caraway. Brilliant precision, power and weight. With water: totally massive, the bigliest Port Ellen ever, as President T might eloquently put it. Superbly oily and thick, with both raw peaty power, along with subtler flavours of sandalwood, dried seaweed, soy sauce and even a hint of malt vinegar on expensive chips! Once again, we're left rather predictably emphasising just how brilliant these old young Port Ellens were. Finish: superbly long, back on pure seawater, lemon juice, tar, petrol and various medicinal and herbal aspects that linger very long in the aftertaste. Comments: this is a good Port Ellen.
SGP: 467 - 93 points.

Big, manly, rufty tufty, teuchter hugs and a whole bushel of directly-fired salmon to the Loch Ness Jonster for that wonderful SMWS PE!

Alas, 2024 was also the year we lost our dear friend Diego, a great fan of Port Ellen. We keep thinking of you, Diego.

See you. - S.

(Huge thanks to the Golden Promise bar in Paris and to Whisky Magazine & Fine Spirits)

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