Signatory, hence no real surprise (I’m afraid – ha!) SGP:368 - 92 points. Port Ellen 30 yo 1979/2009 '9th release' (57.7%, OB, 5,916 bottles) Colour: white wine. Nose: very different from the 1982’s, much more on grass, soaked barley, smoked porridge and diesel oil. Also more shoe polish and whiffs of eucalyptus starting to come through (sign of age?) The most straightforward but not the least complex. Big smoke. With water: this one gets rather more maritime with water, more on oysters, sea breeze and all that jazz. Also almonds and a little camphor, not unlike what happens with some of the most legendary of its neighbours when they get very old. Superb, obviously. Just hints of ‘clean’ manure. Mouth (neat): the most austere of them all but also the most elegant. Very dry, grassy and smoky attack, then quite some lemon, many mineral notes ‘cool climate style’ (to speak like a wino) and many phenolic/resinous notes. Splendid austerity. With water: gets ultra-dry, all on smoke and ashes. Finish: something that reminds me of the revered Rare Malts (20 and 22yo), minus the brutality. Comments: rather intellectual, just the opposite of these modern easy-sexy drams with no soul (and no cojones). SGP:268 - 93 points.

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