Port Ellen 28 Y - 7TH release - original bottler - bottled 1979 - distilled 2007 Single Malt Whisky - Ecosse , Islay alcool : 53.80 % Volume : 0.70L Note Serge Valentin : 92/100 ★★★★☆ Remarks / Defects identified: - Labels begin to peel off slightly. Attention: The bottles are sent protected, well packed and insured. Each defect is present in photo. Check customs fees for non-EU countries! The color of the liquid is not contractual, may vary slightly between reality and camera. Port Ellen 28 years distilled in 1979 and bottled in 2007. Introduced in 2001, Port Ellen’s Diageo Special Release series was once again limited to bottled Rare Malt Selection bottling. This annual event saw the barrels of two flagship vintages, 1978 and 1979 (except the 1983 of the 15th Release), with the implicit rule: the 1978 vintage in «even years» bottling (except for 2013, 13th Release), and the 1979 vintage in «odd years» bottling (except for 2012, 12th Release). The last bottling was in 2017. This seventh edition is limited to 5,274 bottles. Note Serge Valentin : 92/100 ★★★★☆ Nose: it seems that this one is a rather complex version, which does not start only on big whiffs of burning tyres and lemons but also on soaked grains, porridge and wet ropes. The peat smoke is big as expected but it’s melted into the rest. Mullein flowers, crystallised lemons, lemon honey, vanilla crème, raw wool, clams, spearmint. It gets then a little more austere but never ‘brutal’. A civilised Port Ellen? Palate: well, yes, in a certain way. Quite interestingly, this one reminds me more of an old Ardbeg than of a Port Ellen on the palate. Very nervous and very ‘wide’, with notes of tangerines, Chinese anise, bubblegum (hints), smoked tea, gentian spirit (hello Vienna?), crab, green Chartreuse and even Jägermeister, liquorice roots... Gets almost restless now, concentrated, big, bitterer and bitterer (more herbs liqueurs)... What a presence! Finish: long, more on marzipan now, green walnuts, liquorice, kippers, sea water (remember?) Well well well, we had thought this one would be a very nice and gentle whisky when nosing it first but at the finish it got quite a monster. A vampire? Great whisky anyway – nothing really new under the sun.