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| Hi, this is one of our (almost) daily tastings. Santé! |
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March 20, 2024 |
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Live from Islay, the first new Port Ellen and the two Geminis |
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I will try to write a few lines that aren't too soporific, but it's truly difficult to resist the almost Andalusian weather on the one hand, and the visit to the newly rebuilt Port Ellen distillery with good friends on the other. I'll simply add, quite honestly, regarding the architecture and décor, that everything has been done with absolute tasteful certainty. I found myself plunged into the very fashionable 1960s; all that was missing were the Yardbirds! I love it. As for the equipment, let's just say there are two stills, replicas of the originals, plus two smaller 'experimental' stills, all leading to a capacity of 1.6 million litres of pure alcohol annually, which is roughly five times less than Coal Ila and, I believe, half the capacity of Lagavulin. The idea is clearly to produce haute-couture peated malt. Oh, and it's the first time I've seen what I call a 'column mill' (my own term, they are several mills stacked and operating in series). And the investment, it seems, was £185Mio. Incredible. |
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Port Ellen New Make first run (69.6%, OB, 2024) 
Here is the spirit that made the residents of the surroundings say that Port Ellen was 'speaking again', a very charming, and even moving expression. It's a first batch moderately peated at 35ppm, while we've also had the opportunity to taste some other new makes that are much more peated. Let's do this quickly, it's only new make (yeah right). Colour: white. Nose: quite a pronounced fudge and shortbread aspect, which one would normally associate with barrel maturation. The scent of a new wool jumper is also very present, with a fruity touch more akin to blackcurrant than the more usual strawberry in peated new makes. Also, a lot of charcoal. With water: grilled almonds stand out, as does lapsang souchong tea; it really feels like you could drink it just like that. Mouth (neat): quite superb, very powerful of course, but with a lime twist and very marked ashes. With water: a kind of very smoky pear takes control. Finish: very long and distinctly saltier, even maritime. The loop is closed. Comments: will this spirit be closes in 25 years' time, to the incredible third annual release we tasted the night before at dinner? Frankly, tasting the first new make from such a distillery is moving. Beware, the phenols stick terribly to the glass; you will have to rinse it many times if you plan to use it immediately again.
SGP:648 - (no score) points. |
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Port Ellen 44 yo 1978/2023 'Gemini Original Cask' (54.9%, OB, European oak butts, 274 bottles, 2024) 
PortHere is the unfinished version of the Gemini twin-pack. I promise we won't talk about prices, it would be vulgar, wouldn't it, and that's just not like you! Colour: pure gold. Nose: there are no very obvious sherry traces, rather a kind of communion of aromas that we now find in all very old Port Ellens. Here it ranges from praline to putty, from shellfish (clams, whelks) to seaweed, and from tar to salty liquorice. It's just unstoppable. With water: the most sublime of putties, with fresh paint and just a bit of... apple juice. Mouth (neat): a magnificent mentholated and lemony arrival, with, I swear, notes that were indeed in the new new make, especially the lime. It then unfolds onto seaweed and eucalyptus. With water: yes, it's just masterful, not tired in the least, with a woodiness remaining under control. Finish: quite long, salty, more bitter, with a lot of green tea. Comments: we tasted it a bit quickly, but the trajectory is perfectly clear. Now we just have to wonder how many casks they have left, but of course, they will only answer when there are none left. Fair game.
SGP:566 - 95 points. |
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Port Ellen 44 yo 1978/2023 'Gemini Remnant Cask' (53.6%, OB, Remnant cask finish, 274 bottles, 2024)
These remnant casks are barrels intended to house the tails of the bottling runs. Once full, they are emptied (it seems they discard the contents, I might have other ideas…) and are used again for the next run, and so on. It can be said that a remnant cask will have contained whiskies from all the periods of a distillery. It is told that the Port Ellen remnant cask was saved by Pinkie during the closure in 1983 and repatriated to Lagavulin. In short, he is the guilty party. Colour: deep gold. Nose: it seems that the remnant cask has been boosted (indeed it has been seasoned), there are many more woody notes, but also notes of leaves, tea, pinecones, nuts, dry sherry... All of this is quite intriguing, it's the first time I'm coming across a very old malt that's been finished like this. With water: the cask has clearly made the whisky younger. Green banana is found, and even some touches of porridge. Mouth (neat): again notes of fresh sweet wood, charring, eucalyptus, green banana, rather tight sherry, liquorice... This is clearly not your usual Port Ellen (if we may use the term usual) but this candied side and these touches of ginger work well. With water: touches of candied citron, orange blossom honey... Finish: long, while it becomes sweeter and sweeter. Very pretty candied oranges. Comments: perhaps we should have started with this one. Very excellent more 'innovative' whisky, but I believe in its natural state, we remain in a different league.
SGP:666 - 92 points. |
We may come back to these two PEs, we'll see. |
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