96 points
Prima & Ultima Port Ellen 41 year old 1980, 59.6%
The oldest Port Ellen ever released is a classic: a mind-blowing dry, salty, coastal dram. Dense peat, almost meaty; smokiness abounds, with driftwood, brine, zested lime, greengages, and new chamois leather notes. Satin smooth, with saltiness and sweet citrus, it’s peppery at full strength though it takes water well. Dilutes to honey, barley, and baked lemon notes, developing a thick creaminess before finishing with banana candy, peat smoke, and chocolate. (555 bottles)
Reviewed by: Jonny McCormick (Fall 2022)
Dried vine fruit, black cherry, rich sherry, candied lemon, toasted oak, and active clove spices demonstrate a sublime balance between the spice and sherry fruit from the oloroso seasoned Spanish oak. It’s oily, mouth-coating, and richly satisfying, with deep reserves of sherry character, citrus peel, honey, chocolate, seasoned oak, creamy nougat, and a lengthy finish of dried fruit and toasted oak. A consummate Speyside whisky. Collectible
Bold, aromatic, and enticing, with notes of golden pear, vanilla, crystalized honey, and characteristic salinity, followed by earthy aromas of aniseed balls, warm pancakes, snuffed church candles, and salted nuts. Thick-textured, salty, and fruity, with vanilla essence, golden fruits, apple, melon, toffee, peppercorn, clove, star anise, cacao, baked fruits, apple, and a salty smack on the lips. The exquisite finish is sweet, salty, intensely rich, and slightly tannic. Collectible
This last Brora release from 1981 has a nose of salty seaweed, toffee, ozone, ripe melon, canned pears, muted vanilla, beeswax candles, and well-integrated peppery smoke. Oily and mouth drawing, with flavors of crème caramel, treacle, pepper, caramelized apple, and toffee, becoming waxy then velvety, with notes of cassis and dark chocolate. Smoke is a constant presence, while those oils lubricate the throat with dark vanilla and nutty flavors. (354 bottles)
Matured in bourbon and oloroso sherry casks, this is intensely fruity, with attractive oak characteristics, apple pastries, honey, malt, pressed flowers, dried fruits, fresh pear, vanilla, and polished oak. Exceptionally smooth with balletic grace on the tongue, offering flavors of honey, sweet vanilla, tangy citrus, baked apples, creamy poached pear, and gentle cask spices. Vanilla pudding, malt, and hints of coffee and clove appear on the finish.
This wraps up a whisky experiment designed to curb the angels’ share. An elegant nose of fresh florals, honeysuckle, linen, fine spices, clotted cream on scones, blossom honey, soft oak, and lemon zest. The balance of sweet fruitiness and Lochnagar’s spiciness is delicious, with flavors of crème caramel, creamy banana, and a final phase of honey, vanilla custard, and white chocolate. This rocks, but gently. (1,047 bottles)
This really casts a spell with its aromas of baked pastry, vanilla, mizunara oak, rich toffee, dried fruits, millionaire’s shortbread, worn leather, and crisp pot still spices. It starts with soft citrus peel, grated nutmeg over frothy cappuccino, caramel, and vanilla pudding, the rich sweetness in harmony with the spices. An astonishing creaminess brings it home with notes of banana, green apple, and satsuma, with fruit pastilles on the finish. Collectible
Needs time to open up, but the nose of this superb whisky reveals cocoa powder, heather honey, milk chocolate, dark berries, dried orange, toasted sourdough, and a growing presence of oak spices. Indulgent flavors of plum, date, dried fig, dark chocolate, and mocha, then black grape, milk chocolate, charred oak, Brazil nut, and nutmeg. The finish is mellow, with dry spices, nuts, and chocolate.
Complex, intense, and full-bodied with toffee, green apple, ripening plum, aromatic spices, nutmeg, and peppercorn. The 14th consecutive release in this long-running series is one of their best-ever whiskeys, delivering delicious flavors of toffee apple, malt, chocolate, vanilla pod, and spice, yielding to concentrated fruitiness with baked orange, mango, candied pineapple, and a lengthy finish of dried and tropical fruits.
The last Glen Ord stock of this vintage has a concentrated, layered nose of lemon bonbons, gooseberry custard, toffee, vanilla, ripe barley, honey, fruit pastilles, and gentle oak. The taste buds are smothered in the confectionary sweetness of lemon meringue pie, butterscotch, honey, creamed coconut, gingernut biscuits, and toffee apple, plus pepper and lively clove. Water adds richness and deeper citrus flavors. Stunning—like a summer’s evening you wish would never end. (1,047 bottles)
The Irish-American whiskey trend works both ways. This golden dram serves up oak spices and lashings of creamy vanilla at 101 proof, with aromas of butter biscuits, sliced almond, and creamed coconut. Brown sugar, red fruits, and cherry lozenges on first sip, then cinder toffee, Milky Way, forest honey, and warm apple pie, ratcheting up lush vanilla, oakiness, and sweet concentrated fruitiness to finish. Water adds extra creaminess, if that’s possible.
Delivering a unique flavor profile, this opens with delicate, ethereal notes of sweet lychee, grapefruit, white florals, and tangerine that float atop aromatic spice, paprika heat, tree bark, antique books, and balsa wood. The flavors encompass golden syrup, caraway, and sesame bars, with pepperiness wrapped around the base of the tongue, transitioning to smooth creamy vanilla, toffee, and orange peel, with dried apricot, strong green tea, and lingering clove.
Richly herbal on the nose, with dark fruits, subtle notes of cooked meat and barbecue, sweet pickles, hints of cinnamon, and vanilla cream. Very creamy on the palate, well-spiced, with more meaty flavors, cinnamon stick, and chocolate ball. A lot of depth of flavor here, and the texture is creamy despite the heft. A great spice bomb with an explosive finish full of more cinnamon spice, cooked fruit, and chocolate sweetness.
Dry and spicy, with light fruits, then caraway and coriander seeds, cinnamon sticks, baking chocolate, seasoned oak, mixed nuts, melon, and caramel. A palate of soft toffee, pulpy fruits, plum, ginger, lime, baked orange, cherry, and a core of baking spices, particularly cinnamon, pepper, and nutmeg. A final note of chocolate-covered malted milk biscuits peters out into a finish of mocha, tangy zested limes, and dusty spices.