The Authentic Collection was launched by Wm. Cadenhead in 1991, and included whiskies from several rare closed Scottish and Irish distilleries, bottled for the company's 150th anniversary. It would later go on to become a mainstay of their portfolio, as the cask strength alternative to the Original Collection, which replaced their famous "dumpy" bottlings in the early 1990s. The Authentic Collection is now the flagship Cadenhead brand, and one of the most recognisable independent labels on the market.

This was distilled in August 1980 and bottled in September 1996.

Port Ellen is the lost jewel in the Islay crown, closed down by DCL (now Diageo) in 1983 due to an oversupply of peated whisky for blending and a perceived lack of interest in it as a single malt. It has developed a legendary status in the years since. A very rare 12 year old bottled for attendees of the visit of Queen Elizabeth II in 1980 is believed to have been the only distillery bottling produced in its years of operation. Diageo have bottled more since, but it is the independent companies that have given the whisky world the best chance to sample this sought after single malt.

Well, not all Port Ellen is stellar, although some people would like you to believe that. Just because it's from a closed distillery, that doesn't mean it's legendary whisky, right? Nose Lots of minerals and somewhat waxy. Quite aggressive and prickly, but at such a high alcohol percentage, that's no surprise at all. Just a sliver of peat, and a whisper of brine, but otherwise this Port Ellen isn't very coastal at all. Hints of cookie dough, ripe apple and pear skin. Taste Very dry, and somewhat sharp, with hint of crème brûlée, vanilla sugar and charred oak. Barely any peat, although it is plenty brine-y. Water doesn't change things much. It just isn't very complex. Finish Dry. Medium in length

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