Port Ellen 23 Years Old 1975 (Samaroli)

Samaroli bottled this Port Ellen single malt, aged 23 year old, from 1975 and bottled at 45%. 744 bottles in all. Port Ellen stood by the sea on Islay's south shore from its founding in 1825 until it was silenced in 1983 when Islay had one distillery too many. Most of its make once went to blends, but its single malt became the prize.

Drawn off traditional pot stills fed by the Leorin Lochs, to build a smoke at once oily, briny and refined. It was matured in refill ex-Bourbon oak, the classic wood for Port Ellen. Decades have eased the peat to a soft reek over beeswax and old oak. Refill wood flatters Port Ellen, holding back the vanilla so the smoke and citrus speak. The closed years only deepened the legend around the malt. A whisky measured now in dwindling casks rather than fresh spirit. Smoke, salt and citrus mark it out from its Islay neighbours.

Reduced to 45%, it is mellow. Crystallised lemon and a salty tang ride on embers of Islay peat, with a touch of vanilla and cream from the wood. A crystallised lemon and a saline tang lift the smoke. A long, briny finish smoulders to the end. This is a collectable relic of a cult Islay name.