Port Ellen 35 Year Old 1977 Old & Rare Platinum

Port Ellen 35 Year Old 1977 vintage Islay single malt Scotch whisky. Single refill hosghead expression of the lost Scottish distillery. Bottled November 2012 by Douglas Laing & Co. for the Old & Rare series. Limited release of 199 bottles. 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.  The initial spicy sweetness on the nose is quickly overtaken by toffee and smoke and develops to warm leather and a whisky cask bonfire style. On the palate, this Port Ellen carries a mouth coating round and spicy character and builds burnt caramel and sweet tar. This all runs to a softly peated finish with a surprisingly sweet, tobacco style quality.