Whisky: Port Charlotte 20 Year (2002), Dramfool 50th Release Fèis Ìle 2022

Country/Region: Scotland/Islay

ABV: 58.4%

Cask: Bourbon Hogshead (16Y), First Fill Oloroso Hogshead (4Y)

Age: 20 Years (Distilled 10 May 2002, Bottled 11 May 2022)

Nose: Mellow maritime air, fruit preserves, tractor oil, grain stalks and grassy dried hay, camphor and vaguely medicinal herbs, smoked cheese and salty ham on soda bread, old campfire or remains of a small grassfire.

Palate: Medium-bodied, oily and bright, fruit preserves and salty tinned fish, toasted herbs, multigrain bread, tractor oil and tires, smoked cheese, musty dried grass and cured cow paddies, salty and herbal toward the end.

Finish: Long and lingering with fruit preserves, salted fish, and a wisp of smoke.

Score: 8

Mental Image: Farmer’s Picnic by the Sea

Narrative & Notes: A picnic by the sea came to mind with the mellow mineral-rich salinity of a coastal breeze between slightly funky notes of tractor oil and muddy tires. Picnic-appropriate aromas of dark fruit preserves, smoked cheese, salty ham, and soda bread. Among grain stalks and grassy notions of dried hay were camphor and vaguely medicinal herbs with menthol and horehound. In the background was a constant but quiet smoke as if stumbling upon an old campfire or the blackened aftermath of a small grassfire. Medium-bodied yet oily and bright, the flavor profile offered up fruit preserves, occasionally tart with wild blackberries, salty oily tinned fish, toasted herbal multigrain bread, and smoked cheese. Tractor oil and dirty tires arrived as a farmy funk developed between musty dried grass and cured cow paddies. Salty and slightly medicinal at the end with camphor, menthol, and burning sage. The finish was long with fruit preserves, salted fish, and wispy herbal smoke.

How thrilling to finally taste Port Charlotte at the ripe old age of two decades! Port Charlotte has long been one of my favorite Islay labels and, in no small part, bears the responsibility for my love of Bruichladdich. I typically gravitate toward younger malts, and most of my favorite Port Charlotte have been around the 8-year mark. I find that with age, some of the flavors I treasure begin to mellow and fade, which occasionally leaves the experience feeling a bit muddled.

That was not the case on this bright and oily malt released by Dramfool in time for Fèis Ìle 2022. I tried a sample of this cask a few years back, when it had only been in the sherry hogshead for a couple of years, and I cannot believe how much it improved in the intervening period. It was never bad, but the final release was more complex and well-rounded after a few more years in the cask.

Overall, exactly what you want from a special Festival bottle.  Apologies for the empty bottle picture, I completely forgot to take any photos before sharing the bottle out with friends.