Port Ellen 23yo 1982/2005 (46%, Douglas Laing Provenance, C#1754, Sherry, D04/’84 B05/’05)

An independent bottling of Port Ellen by Douglas Laing Provenance matured in sherry casks and bottled at their preferred strength of 46%. The nose if of brown sugar, Demerara and heather, brine, peat reek; at the very last a hint of bandages (the cotton rolled ones, not the sticky plasters) as one sometimes encounter in Laphroaig. This s very nice so far. The taste is again sweet and peaty, not overly so but just enough, there is also some slight sourness like sour Skittles backed by some good sherry. There is also some chocolaty oak and the most ever slight hint of mustiness that floats in and out. The finish is at first quite musty and vegetal that turns to pungent and is mildly unpleasant which then changes to the chocolaty oak and some diesel. There is also some damp hessian and then for the first time some malt pops up. Some definite unhappiness in the first moments of the finish; bits of good and bits that make one go hhmmm. After a few minutes there is some really good malt and the finish has become quite malty and very dry.

Score 83

C$225

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