Which to buy: Brora or Port Ellen??

[Nock]

So I have the opportunity to purchase one of these two new 2007 OB releases. The only problem is I can't afford both. So which would you buy (if you were me) and why?

So you know my taste:
My favorite two single malts that I have ever tried are:
Laphroaig 30yo and a Brora Old Malt Cask (DL) 21yo from 1981. I still have open the Brora (which I just opened a month ago), an Ardbeg 10yo, 17yo, Still Young, & Uigeadail, Lagavulin 16yo, Laphroaig 10yo CS & Quarter Cask (as well as other bottles I don't like so well). So ya, I love the peat monsters The Brora blew my mind and is quite possibly my favorite dram ever. The Laphroaig 30yo is down only by a nose. I have heard wonderful things about Port Ellen but have never tired one.

I can get the Brora for $400 or the Port Ellen for $300 (US $ with tax included).

Which would you choose ?
Take into account the price difference

[Di Blasi]

Gosh, not an easy decision, and the price also makes it difficult. The 2006 Brora release was spectacular, loved it, tarry, and a great whisky! The 2007 release was a bit fruitier I remember, and very good still, and the only time I tasted the current Port Ellen release in discussion I was a bit let down, perhaps cause of the others we tasted were so dynamite, (Lagavulin 21y and Glenkinchie 20y for example), or maybe cause of my expectations for Port Ellen or it just needs some breathing time/room. It's really hard to say, but because the Port Ellen is less expensive, and you haven't had it before, give that a try. But if instead you love Brora, maybe you want to taste as many as possible? Let us know what you go with!

[Drrich1965]

While I liked that Port Ellen, I did not love it (and I love Port Ellen). Good, not great. I would thus select the Brora (I have not had that expression, but love Brora as well)..

[Ryguy]

I have a bottle of the Port Ellen in question and I really like it. It's very complex and such a very nice whisky. Plus I've never tried a Brora, so for the money, I'd say Port Ellen.

Not to change the subject, but what is Brora like?

[corbuso]

I prefer Brora over Port Ellen. The old Brora are peatier and more intense than Port Ellen (PE). PE are more subtle. That is my personal preference.
In addition, it is more difficult to find Old Brora than Port Ellen.
The last 30 YO brora I tried was a 55.7% (don't remember from which year) and it was just superb.

Corbuso
...............
http://www.whisky-news.com

[Ganga]

I have had both whiskies in discussion here. My preference based on the quality of the two whiskies was for the Brora. The PE was good but I had a chance to H2H it with the PE to celebrate RMW or was it TWE 10th anniversary. To me, the one for the 10th anniversary was a much better representation of PE.

However, being that PE gets far more attention this may be the appropriate choice and the Brora might be around a bit longer so that you could potentially get both.

[TheTross]

The PE was good but I had a chance to H2H it with the PE to celebrate RMW or was it TWE 10th anniversary

It was for Royal Mile Whiskies' 10th Anniversary. I know this because I picked one up too, and it's a cracking whisky . Definitely comparable in quality to the PE 3rd release at least, although the latter is more intense and a little less fruity, which is more to my liking.

With regards to the question at hand, I've only ever had the privilege of tasting three PEs and just the one Brora so far. Still, with my somewhat limited experience, I'd suggest go with the Port Ellen, purely on the grounds that you've never tried one and that it's $100 cheaper and, as Ganga said, the Brora is the more likely of the two to be around longer.

Whichever you choose, I've no doubt you'll have fun

[badgerbrown]

I've only had one Brora, a Duncan Taylor which was very nice, and one Port Ellen, a G&M 1982 I think when I was on Islay, which was ok but didn't blow me away. I would go for the Brora because it is possible to find Port Ellen in pubs (albeit pubs in Scotland) but Brora is harder to come by, so you could try Port Ellen should you ever find yourself in Scotland. Incidentally, I own a Port Ellen 5th edition and a Brora 30 yo (the second one they did, I think), but as of yet haven't had the nerve to crack either of them open as I'm not a high earner and it kind of scares me a bit that I've spent £310 on these 2 bottles.

[Wave]

The PE was good but I had a chance to H2H it with the PE to celebrate RMW or was it TWE 10th anniversary

It was for Royal Mile Whiskies' 10th Anniversary. I know this because I picked one up too, and it's a cracking whisky . :

There is also a 10th anniversary PE from The Whisky Shop, a 24yo '78 bottled from a single sherry butt 57.9% alc/vol. I've also heard it too is a crackin' dram though I haven't opened mine yet.


Cheers!

[Di Blasi]

The PE was good but I had a chance to H2H it with the PE to celebrate RMW or was it TWE 10th anniversary

It was for Royal Mile Whiskies' 10th Anniversary. I know this because I picked one up too, and it's a cracking whisky . :

There is also a 10th anniversary PE from The Whisky Shop, a 24yo '78 bottled from a single sherry butt 57.9% alc/vol. I've also heard it too is a crackin' dram though I haven't opened mine yet.


Cheers!

More crackin' whiskies I'm missing out on, damn!! Good to hear about them though.

[Ganga]

There is also a 10th anniversary PE from The Whisky Shop, a 24yo '78 bottled from a single sherry butt 57.9% alc/vol. I've also heard it too is a crackin' dram though I haven't opened mine yet.


Cheers!

Yep, I'd much rather have this one than the PE 7th. It just had that little something extra. Of course, it looks like it is now sold out at RMW.

[Jimmy321]

I voted for the Brora but it was a hard choice, I have not tried the bottles you questioned. I have had a few PE & Brora's, PE 4th 5th 6th and 3 IB, i have the 3rd & 7th still to open, Brora 3 IB bottles & the 30yo 2004 OB, i bought an other 2004 this week which was a bit out of my budget, but it was so good.

If i had to make a choice without tasting i would choose the Brora.

[Deactivated Member]

You don't really have to get either. For $400 I'd join the SMWS and get a bottle of two of really nice stuff from them, and then revisit their lists during the year. Brora and Port Ellen are expensive for what they are - which is basically whisky that was made for blending but has been allowed to age for longer than expected.

[Ryguy]

I have a bottle of the Port Ellen in question and I really like it. It's very complex and such a very nice whisky. Plus I've never tried a Brora, so for the money, I'd say Port Ellen.

Not to change the subject, but what is Brora like?

Well ryguy, how would you answer your ownn question now?

In short, Brora is really good IMO. I fell in love with the 1st expression I tried, which happened to be a SMWS bottling, courtesy of C57. Very complex with a lot going on, I really enjoyed it. I'm on the hunt for a bottle, but everything I've found so far is really expensive, old though (28-30yrs plus), but really expensive.

[Ganga]

No surprise there. If you find a young Brora it is likely to be as expensive, maybe more so as it will be a collector's item.

[chriskelly87]

Deffinetly brora such an underestimated whisky port Ellen is nice but you can't beat a 30 yo Brora.