Port Ellen 1980 Bottled 1997 Spirit of Scotland Gordon & Macphail

Pe1 Elements of Islay

As luck would have it I got to try Pe1 Elements of Islay just a few days ago. Single Cask I'm told so not an endless supply available. What a gem! Its dark, like well brewed tea or an ashtray that's been left outside overnight and rained in a little. I got a real whiff of Port Ellen as soon as it was in front of me. You get the Sherry immediately,...

Score 95/100

Port Ellen 16 Year Old 1980 Merengali Import

This is another one of those golden oldies that has spent 24 years in the bottle now, more than it ever spent in the cask. And it’s from the legendary Port Ellen distillery, bottled by Gordon & Macphail and imported to Italy by Merengali. Thanks to my buddy Manny I was able to secure a sample of this nowhere-to-be-found bottle. The nose is...

Score 84/100

Port Ellen 1983 Malts of Scotland

Again, I'm trying an independent bottling of Port Ellen, this time from the well-known and respected German Indie Malts of Scotland. This one was distilled in the last year of operation and matured in a sherry butt. By the looks of it, that must have been a re-fill sherry butt. A very pale Port Ellen indeed! I know I'm repeating myself when I say...

Score 92/100

Port Ellen 1978 / 22 Year Old / Rare Malts

Let’s finish this line-up of Port Ellen samples with this official bottling from the famous Rare Malts Selection (the predecessor of the Diageo Special Releases). It has spent almost as much time in the bottle as it did in the cask. I sometimes see this bottle at auctions, but it will then set you back between 950 and 1500 EUR. Take your time for...

Score 94/100