Port Ellen – 10th Release 31 Year Old 1978 (70cl, 54.6%)

This is the tenth official release of Port Ellen, an Islay single malt distilled in 1978 and bottled in 2010 at 31 years old. It comes at a cask strength of 54.6% in a 70cl bottle, from a release of 3,000 bottles. The nose is restrained and elegant, with old papers, almond milk, shellfish and cut apples alongside soot and a musty spice mix. On the palate it turns lemony and zingy, with kippers, olive oil and marzipan in the background, growing ashier and saltier. The finish is very long and salty, closing on a spicy lift of caraway, pepper, cloves and bitter almonds.