Port Ellen 11 Years Old 1983 (UD – bottler)

From UD - bottler comes this Port Ellen, aged 11 year old, from 1983 and bottled at 40%. Port Ellen was dating to 1825 on the Kildalton shore of Islay and brought to a halt in 1983. Its last casks were laid down in 1983, a finite legacy ever since.

Distilled in onion shaped copper pot stills on Leorin Lochs water, yielding the poised, maritime smoke of classic Port Ellen. An ex-Bourbon hogshead held it, the soft oak letting the Islay character lead. Still young, the smoke runs assertive over a crisp spirit. Maturation in old refill casks keeps the distillery character front and centre. Smoke, salt and citrus mark it out from its Islay neighbours. Each bottling is a finite draw on a stock that ended in 1983. The old warehouses still hold the last of the closed era spirit. Port Ellen was one of three Diageo Islay distilleries, the one judged surplus in 1983.

At an easy 40% it is gentle and briny. Lemon zest and coastal salt ride on a soft maritime smoke, with a whisper of coconut from the cask. It is structured and a touch austere, the refill oak keeping it lean. A waxy, gently medicinal finish lingers long. This is a finite pour from Islay's most mourned distillery.