Whisky: Port Ellen 31 Year (1982), The First Editions

Country/Region: Scotland/Islay

ABV: 56.8%

Cask: Sherry Cask

Age: 31 Year (Distilled 1982, Bottled 2014)

Nose: Pungent grill smoke, herbal, and maritime. A seashore stroll past herbal beachgrass and industrial notes of rust, distressed concrete, and tar. Coal smoke hung in the air, less industrial and slowly mellowing toward a hibachi grill with unagi crisping over the hot embers. Oily fish and herbs brought to mind baked mackerel, while the wife struggled with a note she described as rubbery—fresh bicycle shop tire.

Palate: Medium-bodied and oily with maritime meats, oceanic minerals, and a hint of rubber. Sweet notes of grilled fish and candied, oily mackerel swam across the palate. The grill smoke lingered throughout while briny minerals appeared with a hint of rubber— worm-shaped lures at the tackle supply store? The dram landed somewhere between fishy bait and rubber tackle with a mellow salinity and hints of preserved lemons.

Finish: Lingering notes of sweet fish oil and salt.

Score: 6

Mental Image: Phish’s Candied Fish

Notes:  This sherried port Ellen highlighted the sweeter side of the distillery’s spirit, often drifting more toward candy than the barbecue. The sherry cask was likely the source of that mild rubber note; it was inoffensive to my palate and worked well with the other notes. The wife even thought it was the best part and picked it up more strongly than I did. I enjoyed the maritime and fishy notes that dominated much of the experience, though I wished the dram had more to offer the savory side to balance with the sweetness.

The wife worried she had covid after finding the dram quite light and mellow— very different from our few prior experiences with pungent Port Ellens. I thought it had a lovely burst of flavor and an oily mouthfeel, but I can see what she meant; after an initial eruption of preserved citrus and candied fish, the dram mellowed out considerably.

While my wife walked away a bit disappointed— she compared the dram to Flokí— I thought it was lovely. Port Ellen is not the kind of thing I get to try very often, so I enjoyed the singularity of the experience. Perhaps that left me more biased than my wife, who approached the dram blindly. I knew what I was drinking and appreciated it for the experience as much as the profile. In contrast, my wife focused on just the flavors before her without any preconceptions or baggage.

Overall, a unique dram and a fun experience, even if the flavor profile was a tad mellow and occasionally unbalanced. I believe I am on the low end of scores as others found a lot more to love, so your mileage may vary.

Image Credit: Sotheby’s