June 2026 - part 2 <--- July 2026 - part 1 ---> Current entries


July 5, 2026

A few white rums to celebrate the month of July

And to recover from some of last week's tequila, particularly the rather unappealing ultra-filtered ones, which certainly couldn't be described as malternatives, we're going to sample a good selection of French rums instead, plus a few others. Let's see what we can find in the appropriate boxes…

Saint James ‘Fleur de Canne’ (50%, OB, Martinique, agricole, +/-2025)

You may know that we are rather fond of Saint James, and this is surely as close to the very heart of the distillate as it gets. The king of the Ti’punch, although naturally we shall be tasting it neat. We last sampled this expression back in 2016. Ten years already! Colour: white. Nose: a touch spirity at first, recalling artisanal raspberry eau-de-vie, then bananas and carrots emerge, together with a faint earthy edge. A little later, honey and orange blossom join the party. Rather charming so far. With water: the earthy and grassy side becomes more pronounced. Mouth (neat): wonderfully expressive, packed with fruit, once again reminding us of raspberry eau-de-vie before fresh cane juice takes centre stage, with just the tiniest saline flicker. With water: it retains that fruity eau-de-vie profile, becoming almost a little tutti-frutti. Finish: quite long, with a gentle warming glow. Comments: very attractive indeed, although we cannot help thinking it rather wants to become a... Ti’punch.
SGP:551 - 80 points.

Dzama ‘Cuvée Blanche Prestige’ (40%, OB, Madagascar, +/-2024)

This is rather an unusual white rum, in that they first macerate fruits and spices in the casks before filling them with the white rum for a year, then charcoal-filtering the result. The spirit itself is molasses-based. Colour: white. Nose: this reminds us very much of what happened last week with the Cenote green orange tequila, indeed they are remarkably close. Bright, lively and utterly driven by citrus fruits, with just a little ginger in the background. In the end, it nosed almost exactly like a fine limoncello. Mouth: limoncello, and a very good one at that. That said, we are a very long way from what we would normally call ‘rum’, unless perhaps a lemon zest rhum arrangé. Finish: quite long. More limoncello. Comments: hardly orthodox, yet we find it thoroughly enjoyable. Even if it rather cries out for a few ice cubes...
SGP:641 - 80 points.

Baie des Trésors 2023 ‘Plein Soleil’ (54%, Baie des Trésors, Martinique, agricole)

A single-parcel rum, although the distillery itself is not mentioned. The location is, however, La Caravelle, which leads us to Hardy, and nowadays to Saint James, who distil these rums, Hardy having been closed for thirty years. In short, unless I have misunderstood, this ought to be Saint James once again. Colour: white. Nose: violently focused on cane juice, with a faintly petroly edge, and that is exactly the sort of thing we adore. With water: bananas and almost overripe mangoes emerge, and we do love that too. A tiny touch of ammonia. Mouth (neat): excellent, with turmeric, bitter orange, damp earth, olives and ultra-ripe fruits. With water: the salinity comes to the fore, together with little lemons. Finish: long and earthy. Comments: very much to my taste. Whenever olives appear, it is usually a very good sign as far as I am concerned.
SGP:562 - 85 points.

La Favorite 2023 ‘La Digue’ (52%, OB, Martinique, agricole)

Another single-parcel bottling, this one from their La Digue plantation. Colour: white. Nose: even more distinctive than the Baie des Trésors, leaning further towards varnish, hairspray and diesel oil at first, before black olives and gloriously overripe tropical fruits take over. Magnificent. With water: carbon dust, brake pads... Mouth (neat): splendid, liquorice-laden, beautifully saline, with oranges and fresh lime once again. The liquorice, or rather salmiak, sets the rhythm throughout. With water: sea water and lemon. Finish: long and very salty. We absolutely love it. Comments: this La Favorite is quite a beast. A great white rum.
SGP:462 - 88 points.

We're starting off rather strongly, perhaps…

Mother Mesccia (47%, Velier/Distillerie de Monaco, Haiti, clairin, 2025)

A Sajous clairin whose first distillation took place in Haiti and the second in... Monaco. If there has ever been a spectacular split between two locations, this must be it, and not merely geographically. Colour: white. Nose: unmistakably clairin, with dill, aniseed, fresh rubber, salsify and then hay. Mouth: we find the familiar faintly petroly side of clairin, although it has been somewhat softened. Olives, orgeat and varnish, rounded off by touches of vanilla and marmalade. Finish: these flavours carry on for quite a long while, becoming increasingly saline as they go. Comments: very good indeed, even if it struggles a little after the La Favorite, which was operating at a distinctly higher definition. And let's not even mention the carbon footprint… That said, when it comes to exporting first runs or exporting bottled spirit, I imagine the carbon footprint is much the same. The weight of the water in the first runs is possibly comparable to that of the glass of the bottles. Anyway…
SGP:551 - 83 points.

Let's head back to France…

La Salle (51.5%, OB, Martinique, agricole, +/-2024)

Another Saint James production built around an old brand. The sugar cane is grown organically here. Colour: white. Nose: rather gentle and approachable, although certainly not rounded. Small yellow fruits at first, then increasingly mandarin and bergamot. With water: back to earth, with bagasse... Mouth (neat): very good, very much driven by citrus fruits, especially bergamot. With water: it loses a little definition, yet remains very attractive, if now slightly more rustic. Finish: even more rustic and grassy. The aftertaste lingers on brine and olives, as is so often the case with these well-made agricoles. Comments: a very fine example of a spirit that would collect plenty of praise if tasted on its own, yet has to work a little harder in such a strong line-up.
SGP:461 - 79 points.

Let’s hope La Favorite hasn’t killed the contest…

William Hinton ‘White’ (40%, OB, Madeira, agricole)

William Hinton ‘White’ (40%, OB, Madeira, agricole, +/-2025)

Let us remind ourselves that while many countries use the term ‘agricole’ somewhat liberally, Madeira genuinely enjoys a protected ‘agricole’ designation, just like Martinique and Guadeloupe. And we do have a soft spot for these Madeiran agricoles. Colour: white. Nose: we immediately find that wonderfully typical pastis-like side, joined by lime, which takes centre stage here. Superb citrus fruits. Mouth: my, this is good! And the price is almost laughably low. Lemon, earth, yeasts, tobacco and a very gentle touch of chilli, perhaps coming from the French oak used here (*) ... It is distinctive, and that is precisely what we enjoy. Finish: quite long, with rather unexpected hints of juniper and a salty aftertaste. Comments: excellent and modest. The two often seem to go hand in hand.
SGP:552 - 84 points.
(*) Oops, even if I felt some kind of oakiness, there was no oak, whether French or not, this white rum has not been kept in wood, even dead wood, for any period of time. Thanks Cyril. -S

While we're in Madeira…

Sodade ‘Cuvée Rumporter’ (44.7%, OB, Cabo Verde, +/-2025)

Sodade ‘Cuvée Rumporter’ (44.7%, OB, Cabo Verde, 2022)

I believe this is in fact a grogue, created by and for France's leading rum magazine, Rumporter, for which our friend Alexandre V. and his gang have selected a little gem. Colour: white. Nose: if we were minded comparing this Cape Verdean ‘kind-of agricole’ with the Madeiran one, which is rather the point here, this is less sharply defined but earthier, almost slightly cardboardy for a while, before citrus fruits and a trio of ginseng, turmeric and ginger gradually take control. We rather suspect the palate will be where everything comes together... Mouth: we find that more rustic, more down-to-earth character again, with dust, fruit and vegetable peelings, as well as plenty of yeasty notes. A lovely acetic side too, bringing to mind old Sherry vinegars and the like. Finish: long, drifting towards little herbs, sweet woodruff, lovage and mint. Comments: slightly intellectual, which does not surprise me in the slightest coming from our friend Alexandre (you owe me a beer, Alexandre).
SGP:462 - 83 points.

Bologne ‘Black Cane’ (50%, OB, 10th Anniversary, Guadeloupe, agricole, +/-2025)

Mind you, these are the ten years of the ‘Black Cane’ expression, not of Bologne itself, which had already been around long before Methuselah. Almost. The last time we tasted Black Cane we were left rather unconvinced, although that was several years ago. Colour: white. Nose: earthy, rooty cane hits immediately. Swedes, artichokes, turnips and wild carrots. With water: chilled vegetable soup, gazpacho... Mouth (neat): the natural sweetness of the cane, followed by something that is really very rustic, almost excessively fermentary. Lemon zest helps bring everything back into balance. With water: I just can't get there. Finish: quite long, vegetal and saline. Green beans. Comments: I'm struggling a little to bring this one into focus, which is probably more my problem than the rum's.
SGP:541 - 77 points.

Bonpland ‘Blanc VSOP’ (40%, OB, Germany, blended rum, +/-2020)

It comes in various colours, you see. What I understand here is that this is a blend of different Caribbean rums, assembled in Germany. We are told online that it pairs nicely with grilled meats, so our expectations remain fairly modest. The ‘red’ version had, however, been perfectly decent back in 2020 (WF 72). Colour: extremely pale white wine. Nose: nothing. That's that sorted. Mouth: touches of vanilla and a drop of corn syrup. Finish: short, on hay and bagasse. Comments: it is seriously handicapped in the aroma department, but at least they have not drowned it in sugar. Hence the... average score. BTW the use of the word "blanc" in French could suggest that these are French rums, but it might just be a bit of a marketing trick.
SGP:330 - 50 points.

Right, let's be a bit adventurous with the last one, shall we?

Variable ‘Dunderclap’ (74%, Rum et al., USA, +/-2025)

Unaged pot-distilled molasses rum, they say, still-strength. And our lawyer is once again out on the golf course and therefore unreachable... In any case, this baby contains 33% dunder, added before distillation of course. And we are in California... Right then, let's hang on... Colour: white. Nose: rather restrained by the formidable level of ethanol, yet we do detect a combination of tar and acetone, followed by pear eau-de-vie. Make that about a hundred litres of it. With water: reducing such a beast properly in a glass is no easy task, even your favourite pipette may well decide to go on strike. In short, apart from softening it a little, we do not achieve very much. At least I don't. Mouth (neat): if you take no more than a tiny drop, you do indeed find a combination of pear, varnish, brine and finger lime... The whole idea, after all, is to remain in control, isn't it? With water: it barely changes, even with plenty of water. Salt, lemon, gherkins, chilli, brine and even a touch of garlic. Finish: much the same, and seemingly for eternity. Lime, and we do mean lime, not just any citrus. Comments: frankly, I rather like this completely mad concoction. The great advantage is that a single 5cl miniature should also be enough to entertain fifty guests for an entire evening. I am barely exaggerating. In short, it is probably not really something that can be scored by whisky standards, but the sheer idea behind it appeals to us enormously.
SGP:363 - 85 points.

We'll leave it there for now, but all being well, we'll have a second batch of white rums for you next Sunday. Stay tuned.

Check the index of all rums we've tasted


July 3, 2026

Two Kornog from Bretagne, OB vs IB

I should remind you that Kornog is the peated expression from Celtic Whisky Distillerie, formerly Glann ar Mor. I must admit I find the name Glann ar Mor less generic, more distinctive, and above all more authentically Breton. After all, you can find Celtic whiskies throughout the British Isles, in Galicia, in Portugal, and in plenty of other, less well-known places. Still, be that as it may, Kornog has been turning heads, loosening tongues, and delighting noses for well over fifteen years now…

Kornog (46%, OB, France, Brittany, +/-2026)

The entry-level NAS expression from Kornog. We had hosted a ‘masterclass’ (someone really ought to come up with a better name for these things) at the Miro Festival in Ostwald just before the France-Norway World Cup match, where we lined up a DHG, a Myken, a Bivrost and this Kornog, with an excellent Welche by Miclo thrown in as a non-competitive bonus (Celtic too, incidentally). Long story short, Kornog won that France-Norway match in liquid form, although it has to be said that it was 39°C. Crazy masterclass indeed. Colour: white wine. Nose: elegant, finely woven peat, perhaps lacking the razor-sharp authority of some single casks or small batches, yet the combination of wakame, oysters, lemon and cool ashes works beautifully. Fresh, coastal and effortlessly balanced. Mouth: preserved lemons and green pepper lead the way, followed by a touch of seawater and those lovely lemony ashes that keep everything taut and vibrant. We are reminded once again just how perfect 46% can be as a bottling strength, even more so when the thermometer reads 39°C. Finish: rather long, smokier still, with a pleasantly bitter edge. Almost as if someone had slipped a few herbal bitters into your peated whisky. Wonderfully briny aftertaste. Comments: a thoroughly charming young peater, almost certainly very youthful, yet of impeccable quality. It rather reminds me of the 'Roc’h Hir' from ten years ago.
SGP:466 - 87 points.

Kornog 8 yo 2018/2026 (58.4%, Amateur Spirits, 1st fill bourbon barrel)

Kornog 8 yo 2018/2026 (58.4%, Amateur Spirits, France, Brittany, 1st fill bourbon barrel)

A quick reminder of the concept behind this series, just in case: a small panel of incurable whisky enthusiasts votes for its favourite among a selection of anonymous samples, and on this occasion, I happened to be sitting on that distinguished panel myslef. It would therefore be somewhat embarrassing, I readily admit, if we did not enjoy the very cask we had co-selected, this bourbon barrel having stood out as the purest and most crystal-clear of the lot. Colour: white wine. Nose: the family resemblance is unmistakable, but this is purer still, more chiselled, with chalk and lemon taking centre stage, while beautiful touches of bergamot add extra lift and elegance. Superb freshness. With water: seawater, kelp and oysters come along to tickle the nostrils, although the bergamot keeps everything beautifully in line. Also, freshly cut kumquat and the faint scent of old fabric soaked by Breton rain. That can happen at any time, on any day, although over there they like to say that ‘in Brittany, it only rains on fools’. Fair enough, just as it does in Scotland. Mouth (neat): even more to my liking than it had been during the selection, remarkably reminiscent of a great dry white Graves, full of Sauvignon-like freshness, lemons, then mandarins and lapsang souchong. Everything fits together with remarkable precision. With water: the citrus fruits completely take over, rather in the style of some of the greatest old Laphroaigs or Bowmores. Not exactly modest company... Finish: very little changes here, apart from a more assertive salinity that emerges a little later, as it often does. Comments: philosophically speaking, Kornog is Smögen's cousin, and vice versa. So, inevitably...
SGP:656 - 91 points.

Check the index of all French whiskies we've tasted

June 2026

Whiskyfun fav of the month

Serge's favourite recent bottling this month:
Clynelish 42 yo 1983/2026 (49.5%, OB, Rare Series, refill American oak hogshead, 160 bottles) - WF 93

Serge's favourite older bottling this month:
Springbank 1966/1987 (59.9%, Scotch Malt Whisky Society, #27.5) - WF 94

Serge's favourite bang for your buck this month:
Blended Scotch 12 yo (53%, Decadent Drams, refill sherry hogshead, 295 bottles, 2025) - WF 90

Serge's favourite malternative this month:
Vallein-Tercinier 2020/2025 (64.3%, Piacere Rinato, Fins Bois) - WF 89

Serge's thumbs up this month:
Smögen 15 yo (55.7%, OB, Sweden, batch #L001, bourbon barrels, 2025) - WF 91

Serge's Lemon Prize this month:
Johnnie Walker ‘Blonde’ (40%, OB, blended Scotch, +/-2026) - WF 68

We would like to remind you
that we do not take prices
into account, except for the
“bang for your buck” category.


July 2, 2026

A small gathering of Glen Garioch

In years gone by, we’ve enjoyed our fair share of old Glen Gariochs, notably the celebrated 1968 sherry monsters and the intensely peated bottlings from the early 1970s, often championed by Silvano Samaroli. Later came the younger expressions, unpeated but often brimming with attractive orchard fruits: apples, gooseberries and plums. Yet a few old casks remained and today offers the chance to taste them once again, starting with an older beauty by way of a warning. For as the saying goes, there is little glory in victory when there was no danger to overcome in the first place.

Caramel ice cream drizzled
with crème de mûre.

Glengarioch 18 yo 1975/1994 (46.3%, Cadenhead, Original Collection)

Indeed, Cadenhead used to call its Glen Garioch ‘Glengarioch’ at one point in time. Colour: very pale white wine. Nose: oh yes, I remember this well, that rather extraordinary combination of coal gas, embrocations, greasy gauze, smoke bombs, and above all peaty cider, if such a thing could ever truly exist. It really is a ‘different’ kind of peat, and it remains difficult to understand why they rather quickly abandoned peated production. Then again, you could argue that Diageo’s predecessors did much the same at Brora. A matter of blender demand, beyond any doubt. Mouth: this remains utterly distinctive, leaning more towards wood smoke, especially beechwood, than towards raw peat itself. Perhaps it lacks a little oomph, but that occasionally happened within the Original Collection, generally reduced a little further than the Authentic Collection. The fact remains that this is a splendid peated whisky, packed with tart apples and tiny green lemons galore, not to be confused with limes. Finish: fairly long all the same, lemony and medicinal, always carrying that unmistakable green apple character. Smoked green apples, naturally. Comments: do understand me properly, this remains a magnificent Glen Garioch, sorry, Glengarioch from its peated era. A style that has now become virtually impossible to find, even on the mainland.
SGP:466 - 90 points.

Glen Garioch 31 yo (54.6%, Elixir Distillers 'Macbeth Act One: The Thanes', four bourbon barrels, 600 bottles, 2023)

Angus has already tasted this one and liked it a great deal (WF 89). As it happens, the character on the label is also called Angus, ha. As for me, as usual, I’m late to the party. Colour: pale gold. Nose: apple tart drizzled with honey and sprinkled with ground cinnamon, served alongside a glass of demi-sec Champagne. With water: a few touches of mint and fresh rubber. Entirely natural, needless to say. Mouth (neat): clearly one of those early 1990s batches, though this one leans rather more towards exotic fruits, perhaps the work of time itself. Papaya, pink grapefruit, a little passion fruit, then apples and pears. Excellent, and ultimately showing remarkably little of its age. Wildflower honey throughout. With water: it shifts towards yellow citrus fruits, and that is always something we enjoy immensely. It becomes almost razor-sharp. Finish: long, fairly lively, lemony, with a few touches of quinine mingling with honey. Comments: I agree with Angus, of course, although he found it considerably oakier than I did, having just reread his notes. That said, it remains difficult to grasp that this is the same distillery that produced the splendid 1975 tasted above.
SGP:461 - 89 points.

Glen Garioch 52 yo 1973/2026 (53.8%, WhiskyLand, Decadent Drinks, 1st fill sherry butt, 240 bottles)

Right, we confess, we have already downed a few centilitres of this baby by way of preparation (shall we say), but time has come to taste it seriously. One should also remember that 1973 is the year Glen Garioch restarted after works, under its new owners of three or four years, P. Morrison. Before that, it was D.C.L. But there had indeed already been some 1970, 1971 or 1972, at any rate I have tasted a few, to my greatest joy. Like those Samarolis!!! Colour: mahogany. Nose: cedar wood steeped in menthol and very old sherry, then camphor and old liquorice and tar liqueurs, finally woodland mushrooms, mosses and ferns. You may add a few drops of very old Ténarèze armagnac if you wish. It is very elegant but, in the end, dazzling. With water: I immediately think of Paul Bocuse’s VGE soup. Truffles, foie gras, mushrooms, celery, Noilly Prat. And so, Glen Garioch 1973. Mouth (neat): magical combination of green chartreuse and triple-sec, both dating from before the war. The wood speaks in a ‘old fir tree’ register. Bitter chocolate and mocha come to complete the whole thing. With water: extraordinary, with a dry side at first (amaro, tobacco, dark chocolate) then a development on citrus soup with black olives. I swear. Finish: long but fine, slipping away little by little like the old singer of a rock band after the final encore, while raisins of all kinds and coffees take care of the coda. Comments: a magnificent coup by Angus and Decadent Drinks, I did not think there would still be any of these beasts after the very lovely official 1973 for The Whisky Exchange. But that was in 2014.
SGP:573 - 94 points.

We shall not venture into another old GG, but to bring things back down gently, perhaps we could enjoy, after a short but necessary break, one or two considerably younger expressions.

Glen Garioch 13 yo 2012/2026 (49.7%, Villa Konthor and The Whisky Agency, ruby Port barrique)

Let us pretend, if you please, that we had not noticed it was ruby Port. One should always beware of preconceptions, we know that only too well. Colour: well, it is rather difficult to overlook, this whisky is as pink as a partridge’s eye. A drunken partridge’s eye, moreover. Nose: quite simply, fruit plus fruit equals fruit, that much is beyond dispute. Ripe apples and strawberry jam lead the way, obvious notes indeed, while, let us add that we are particularly fond of it, there is plenty of blackberry liqueur. A small piece of advice while we are at it, find yourself an excellent caramel ice cream and pour a little blackberry liqueur over it, or indeed a little of this Glen Garioch, and you may thank me later. Lyonnais praline tart as well, do you know the style? Mouth: the worst part is that it actually works. This is high-class sangria, thoroughly dominated by strawberries. Pepper, star anise, cinnamon... and once again that blackberry liqueur returns. Or perhaps blackberry cream liqueur. Finish: long, becoming increasingly jammy, to the point where you could almost spread it over your breakfast toast. Green pepper arrives to put the final signature on the whole affair. Comments: we may joke about it, but this is genuinely very successful, I’m afraid. There are no impregnable fortresses, only fortresses that have been badly attacked (Choderlos de Laclos).
SGP:751 - 85 points.

Let's have a young bourbon-cask dram and leave it at that...

Glen Garioch 13 yo 2011/2025 (57.8%, Watashi Whisky, 1st fill bourbon barrel, cask #3732)

It is rather amusing how people now adorn their bottles with cultural motifs linked to their own countries, whereas in the old days everyone seemed content with bagpipes, thistles, stag heads, Celtic crosses or, at a push, ruined castles. Yes, or Nessie. We travel a great deal more these days! Colour: white wine. Nose: this is modern GG in its purest form, centred on ripe apples, greengages, mirabelles, quince, vanilla, acacia honey and the faintest hint of sea breeze. Nothing whatsoever to complain about. With water: a few notes of freshly baked pastries emerge, lemon tart, scones and the like. Mouth (neat): excellent, vibrant and beautifully tangy, full of lemon and green apples, with a very pronounced sharpness. With water: very, very good, wonderfully lively and intensely lemony. You can almost count your vertebrae as it goes down, thereby checking that everything remains exactly where it should be. Finish: fairly long and still wonderfully vibrant, packed with magnificent lemons and grapefruits. Comments: hey, that business about the vertebrae was only a joke! In any case, this little GG was absolutely spot on.
SGP:561 - 87 points.

Check the index of all Glen Garioch we've tasted


July 1, 2026

WF's Little Duos:
today, two very Recent
Port Ellens, IB vs OB

Port Ellen Distillery today (Diageo)

The question that remains is whether Port Ellen, now reaching forty-three years of age and well beyond, can still go the distance as impressively as its cousins from Talisker do. There has admittedly been a bit of last-minute re-racking here and there, but that has generally been handled with a certain elegance, and, to the best of our knowledge, no one has yet dared resort to tequila casks, the whisky equivalent of Botox, if ever there was one. Just a personal opinion, as always. Let’s begin with the younger of the two, which also happens to have the lower strength. Only just, mind you…

Port Ellen 45 yo 1980/2025 (57.6%, Gordon & MacPhail, Connoisseurs Choice Heritage Collection, refill American oak hogshead)

So far, we have not tasted all that many 1980s, although do note that the expression ‘so far’ demonstrates our ever-unshakeable optimism. Colour: gold. Nose: follow me, we are entering an old herbalist’s shop, with notes of furniture polish and metal polish, but also an avalanche of dried flowers and herbs, camomile, rosemary, marjoram and sage, before citrus fruits begin to emerge alongside those famous tarry notes that lead inevitably towards the legendary old tarred fishermen’s ropes washed up on the beach. One cannot help thinking of an oil spill, a rather gloomy thought I grant you, except in this very particular case. With water: it moves less than a three-metre-high Norman wardrobe. Water changes virtually nothing, although I must admit I did not dare take it down to 30% vol. The faintest suggestion of damp cardboard. Mouth (neat): what tremendous drive! Essentially, this is lime juice infused with ashes and tar, topped up with seawater and oyster juice. Which is not quite the same thing. A few peppery touches too. With water: everything fuses into a resinous and salty substance, a little like an alliance of plasticine and sea salt. A few medicinal notes emerge as well. Finish: long, more resinous, rather oily, although the seawater ultimately takes command and signs the whole affair with a salty kiss (really?) Comments: the entire series is magnificent, exactly as we had expected, and what is more, all seem to be operating at roughly the same level of quality, at least to my mind.
SGP:466 - 92 points.

Port Ellen 46 yo 1978/2025 ‘Prism’ (57.8%, OB, refill hogshead then refill American oak puncheon, magnum and miniatures)

Quite possibly the rarest Port Ellen ever bottled, rarer even than the famous ‘Queen’s Visit’. And what is more, it was produced for charity, so unreserved applause is entirely in order. Incidentally, you may occasionally come across bottles of supposedly much older vintage Port Ellen, like pre-WWII, but keep your bitcoins in your electronic pockets, they are invariably fakes. Other than that, 57.8% vol. at forty-six years of age is, of course, highly impressive. This was probably not matured by the seaside. Colour: full gold. Nose: what is most impressive is the sheer oneness of it all. In fact, this is not a particularly complex Port Ellen, quite the opposite, it is remarkably compact, centred upon a fusion of camphor, clay and tar. Perhaps that is precisely what makes it so eminently ‘Port Ellen’. With water: the DNA of the younger expressions we could try, like 10 yo, is present at 100%, which is quite astonishing and reflects a blending choice that I find admirable. Proof that one can remain entirely distillate-oriented at forty-six years of age. We are speaking of the age of this Port Ellen, not that of the very engaging master blender, naturally. Mouth (neat): maximum power, tarry, salty, almost vinegary, acidic, razor-sharp and resinous... Do not expect to enjoy this while reclining in a Chesterfield listening to Purcell or Britten, this is more Ozzy meets Lemmy (RIP × 2). With water: much the same comments apply, this is a genuine brute. The G&M was more civilised, more finely chiselled. Finish: extremely long, with lemon and, above all, hectolitres of seawater. The aftertaste then is frankly peppery. Comments: this cask, or these casks, could probably carry on until they reach one hundred years of age, assuming any remains. At a rough estimate, of course... Our score here is almost anecdotal. Who just said ‘as usual’? Who?
SGP:367 - 92 points.

All this, of course, while we await the first releases from the ‘new’ Port Ellen, though we’ll probably need to be a little patient… So?

Check the index of all Port Ellen we've tasted