Douglas Laing has an impressive and seemingly endless stream of Port Ellen releases. This is one of the most recent in the Old Malt Cask series. It was distilled in 1983, the last year of production at the distillery.
Port Ellen 26 yo 1983 (50%, Douglas Laing OMC 2009, refill butt, DL ref. 5441, 640 btl.)
Port Ellen 26 yo 1983 (50%, Douglas Laing OMC 2009, refill butt, DL ref. 5441, 640 btl.)Nose: clean, somewhere in the middle between the mineral and vanilla profiles of Port Ellen. Some sweet almonds. Soft gristy peat, rather medicinal for a PE (eucalyptus, herbal syrup). Wet paper and walnuts.
Mouth: rather sweet and creamy, more vanilla now and soft pepper. Hints of liquorice, custard and lemon, gentle smoke. Little cask influence or so it seems.
Finish: round and clean with sweet lemon, brine and ashes.
A good Port Ellen showing the different typical elements without any special highlights. A solid bottling. Around € 170.
Score: 88/100