Port Ellen 1983 / 33 Years / Authors' Series

Review by Whiskyfun.com:

The author on the label is the English poet Lord Tennyson, who’s not very famous in France (to say the least). Colour: gold. Nose: it’s now well known that Port Ellen ages particularly well, and particularly slowly. In this case, it’s got as many ashes and bits of tarry rubber as in the earliest days, I’m sure. For example, it’s straighter than the latest official special releases, and this mentholy/camphory smoke as well as the tarry ropes and all the hessian just do wonders. Love this nose – and the sherry stayed right in its place. So, not very noticeable. With water: fabulous, smoked tweed jacket and Islay mud. Rolls and rolls of hessian. Mouth (neat): emblematic arrival, massive, very punchy, wonderfully citrusy, and superbly salty/smoky. Serious, this could be 15 years of age. Magnificent pink grapefruits with some white pepper, some ashes, and a wonderful ultra-dry sootiness, the whole getting tarrier and more almondy by the second. A big Port Ellen, rather for your hipflask than for the club. I’m finding some echoes of the Rare Malts, if that rings a bell. With water: as often, the drying ashes come out more. Some tangerines too. Finish: very long, superb, on, well, just everything that’s needed in an old PE that’s not that old. Citrus, smoke, salt, tar… A lot of tar. Comments: and so I’ve checked good old Wikipedia, and apparently, Tennyson wrote "My strength is as the strength of ten, because my heart is pure". That fits this little PE just right, very well done Hunter Laing! SGP:567 - 94 points.