Port Ellen 26 Year Old 1983 Old Malt Cask #5441

From a single refill butt cask #5441. 26 year old distilled in the final year of distillation at Port Ellen distillery from the Old Malt Cask series. Distilled March 1983 and bottled August 2009. Port Ellen Port Ellen Distillery was established by Alexander K. Mackay on the southern coast of the Isle of Islay at Port Ellen in 1825. Port Ellen was a malt whisky distillery but closed in 1983 and whilst the distillery buildings remain Port Ellen drum maltings occupy part of the site and participates in Feis Ile, the annual Islay Festival of Malt and Music. Most recent official bottling of Port Ellen single malt whisky was the Port Ellen 11thRelease. During the winter of 1823-24 James Fox tested his newly designed spirit safe at Port Ellen Distillery prior to its introduction in all Scottish licenced distilleries by 1825 in order to comply with enactment of the Excise Act of 1823. Thus Port Ellen Distillery was the first Scottish distillery to install a spirit safe and James Fox was paid £428 for his work.  Fresh, clean and gristy sweet nose, eucalyptus and home baking. The palate is complex, creamy, vanilla'd with late gently peated smoke. Mellow, soft tar and ashes finish.