Provenance (distilled at Port Ellen), 21 year old, 1982

One of the last remaining vintages from an Islay distillery which will be missed dearly. This is obviously from a sherry cask, and the peat smoke, sherry, and oak-aging is married nicely here. It a brooding Port Ellen. Notes of peat fires, fig, kippers, toffee, vanilla, and dry oak take turns entertaining the palate. Considering its age, it isn’t excessively oaked, and the Port Ellen character still shines through. If you’re going to track down a bottle of Port Ellen before they get really difficult to find, this one is worth serious consideration.