Port Ellen 15th Annual Release 32 Years Old 53.9% 1983

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Serge Valentin (92)

Last year’s 14th Release, a 1978, was a little more, say fragile than other batches, with less immediate PE-ness (read tarry smoke) and more grassy elements (WF 91). This might be different…

Colour: pale gold.

Nose: back to the style of the Mo Or, with much chalk, stones, clay… The tar is back as well (old tarry ropes), and comes with some damp raw wool and hessian, funny hints of uncooked French beans (when our mother made us shell them), seaweed, perhaps whiffs of a wet dog coming back from the beach (I’m sorry, dogs), and lastly, pink grapefruits and cough syrup. Balance is utterly perfect. With water: drinking lemon juice while smoking a cigar and crunching fresh almonds, while walking on Port Ellen’s beach, while someone’s burning eucalyptus leaves somewhere in the neighbourhood (but why would they do that?)

Mouth (neat): unusual! It’s fizzy and prickly like some Schweppes-Lemon, with touches of bitter oranges and, of course, lemons. A feeling of plasticine diluted in turpentine, then perhaps cinnamon mints. Rather big, as most 1983s are in my book. With water: notes of lemon tarte, with some meringue and some cinnamon. Add chlorophyll gum and perhaps one whelk.

Finish: rather long but not massive, rather on plasticine, mint, pinesap, and lemon skin.

Comments: I find it quite different from the previous releases, still excellent, and a little surprising at times. Especially the arrival on the palate. Another great PE for sure.

Words of Whisky (91)