Port Ellen Live Tasting - October 4, 2008

[Ryguy]

We will be hosting a Live Tasting with Port Ellen on Saturday, October 4, 2008 at 7PM GMT. This tasting will run seperate from the regular monthly live tasting, which hasn't been voted on yet.

So bring what Port Ellen you've got, and join in!!

[Ganga]

If you've got no PE, you're still welcome to join in. Ask questions! We're here to learn and to share.

[irishwhiskeychaser]

Not available


Just a spur of the moment jobi Nick.... Irish was canceled for that weekend so i suppose the lads had to fill it with some thing else .... and why not

Have fun

[Ganga]

Duh! Where did this one come from?
"Left Field"?

Great choice but a bit sudden - unless I missed something, which is eminently possible...

Carry over from the other thread on Irish-10/4. When the Irish moved to November, there was a void. Nature abhors a vacuum.

BTW, how many bottles do you need finish in order to open a new PE?

[Willie JJ]

Is it the same format? Are we buying a bottle and swapping samples? What are the drams? Who is interested?

So far it looks like

North America:
Ryguy
Ganga



Europe:
Willie JJ
Collector57?

Anyone else?

[Wave]

Unfortunately that'll be right in the middle of a week while I'm on the midnight shift.
I'll just have to start it off a few days ahead of all ya'all.

BTW, how many bottles do you need finish in order to open a new PE?

I have 3 PE's opened at the moment and I might be able to squeeze 1 more onto my open bottle shelves. I have a new sherried PE Sig that I'm dyin' to wrap my gums around!

Cheers!

[Ganga]

I can see it now: WM's Port Ellen Week.

[Willie JJ]

Unfortunately that'll be right in the middle of a week while I'm on the midnight shift.
I'll just have to start it off a few days ahead of all ya'all.
Cheers!

Can't see why that would be a problem.

North America:
Ryguy
Ganga
Wave

Europe:
Willie JJ
Collector57?

[Ganga]

Ryan and I have already swapped some samples around. One of these is PE 7th. Ryan, what were the other two?

[orangedogofglory]

count me in on the NA side. I'll need to pick up a good bottle of PE so I can send out some samples.

[Willie JJ]

North America:
Ryguy
Ganga
Wave
Orangedogofglory

Europe:
Willie JJ
Collector57?

So where are the Europeans? Oh wait, it's after midnight here.

[Ganga]

Willie, me thinks you need a second handle here. If for nothing else, just to protect your liver from Mikey and me.

We'll see if Mikey is interested too.

[Ryguy]

Ryan and I have already swapped some samples around. One of these is PE 7th. Ryan, what were the other two?

Ganga, you should have a Sig 1979 22yo and a OMC 1979 25yo. I'll check to see what I've got left on my PE's. I know I've got about 1/2 bottle left on the Signatory, but I'm afraid the OMC and 7AR are dangerously low. Right about time for a new bottle I'd say.

[Ryguy]

I can see it now: WM's Port Ellen Week.

Does this mean I need a new bottle for each day?

[Ryguy]

BTW, how many bottles do you need finish in order to open a new PE?

<sigh> Perhaps I should abandon the 100 target and aim to stay below 120?

Then I could open a Sig 1979 24yo and and a McGibbons Provenance 1982 19yo...

Get thee behind me Ganga

I like your thinking Nick, it's that simple, just increase the number!!

[Willie JJ]

Willie, me thinks you need a second handle here. If for nothing else, just to protect your liver from Mikey and me.

Ha ha, I'll live, (if only for a wee while).

BTW, how many bottles do you need finish in order to open a new PE?

<sigh> Perhaps I should abandon the 100 target and aim to stay below 120?

Then I could open a Sig 1979 24yo and and a McGibbons Provenance 1982 19yo...

Get thee behind me Ganga

That's really the reason why I thought it would be better if we all bought a bottle and swapped samples. That way we don't have to open too many at once. My whisky room already smells like Warehouse No.4 at Bunnahabhain. Bloody angels!

Ok the Euro folk are awake now so where are you?

If anyone thinks it is too much to buy a bottle of PE to join this one then I would be quite willing to split off a 10cl sample from a bottle or two for a pro-rata contribution to its cost. There are plenty bottles around the £90 mark so that would make it £12.86 plus postage for a 10cl share. Maybe about £14.

Pm me if you want to do that.

Cheers

[Ryguy]

I'm all for swapping samples, or pitching in on a bottle as well. Whatever works best for everyone. I can order a Signatory Vintage Port Ellen 1982 24yo (1st fill sherry, I think it's 43%) for about $200 after shipping.

I also have a bottle opened of the following, with about 300ml left.
Port Ellen 22yo 1979 ( 43%, Signatory Vintage, 8.28.79/6.25.02, Refill Sherry Butt Cask #5537, 53/768 )

I'm willing to break this down into samples and work something out with people if they'd like to participate, please let me know.

[Willie JJ]

I volunteer to be the sink

[Ryguy]

I volunteer to be the sink

The sink!!!!! My goodness Nick, have you gone mad!!!!!!! I'm with Willie, I want to be the sink.

BTW, very nice looking bottles there!

[Ganga]

Sounds like pour Nick needs two sinks. Of course those sinks require a whisky filter. Wouldn't want to overly corrode the pipes for the sings.

Willie, I like the idea of sharing some PE around, especially with some of the folk that have never tried PE and are afraid to get a full bottle.

[Willie JJ]

Yeah, I understand that its a bit of a risk if you've never tried it. Splitting a bottle might make it more accessible.

[Ryguy]

Yes it's a good idea, it lets someone get a chance to try a Port Ellen for the 1st time, without having to buy an entire bottle. And that's exactly the reason that I like sample exchanges too.

So what bottle we getting and who's interested? My feeling is that 1 bottle between the UK and US folk may be enough, but that really depends on how many people are participating.

[orangedogofglory]

I am up for buying 10 cl from a handful of bottles.

or I can buy a bottle and send out samples. whatever is most convenient.

[Willie JJ]

Where folk have samples to swap then swapping seems fairly equitable and increases the variety of samples available for the tasting. It was really for anyone who was interested but had nothing to swap that I was suggesting payment for the sample, because PE is a bit expensive for most of us to give away wholesale.

The PEs that I have here are:
Annual release 2
Annual release 3
Bladnoch forum Port Ellen 25yo
None of which are currently open, but nothing is sacred.

However, I would like to use the tasting as an excuse to pick up another PE for swapping so I intend to have a look at what's on the market.

Time to update the SOI Available PEs thread I think.

Cheers

[Wave]

I just might have to take the night off for this one!
Which Bladnoch forum bottling do you have Willie?
Butt # 2036 here

Others that I have (though some are less likely to be opened)
18yr old 1983 Scott's Selection
21yr old 1982 Scott's Selection
21yr old 1979 Scott's Selection
22yr old 1976 Scott's Selection
22yr old 1979 Signatory Vintage (43%)
24yr old 1978 The Whisky Shop 10th Anniversary Bottling CS
25yr old 1982 Signatory Vintage CS (cask # 645)
25yr old 1982 Signatory Vintage CS (cask # 2844)
26yr old 1979 OMC
2nd, 3rd, 5th, 6th, and 7th Annual Releases

Opened
18yr old 1983 Scott's Selection
22yr old 1983 OMC
23yr old 1979 Signatory CS Refill Sherry

As for a possible shared sample/swap there's a PE 23yo Signatory Vintage (43%) available at one of my local shops for $130.

Cheers!

[TheTross]

I'm definitely in on this tasting!

Expressions available:

Port Ellen 1982/2007 (51.5%, DDC, Cask #1144, 294 bottles, Royal Mile Whiskies 10th Anniversary bottling)
Port Ellen 22yo 1983/2005 (50%, DL Old Malt Cask Advance Sample, DL Ref 2115)
Port Ellen 25yo 1982/2008 (60.4%, D.A. Rattray, Cask #2466, 199 bottles)
Port Ellen 25yo (56.2%, cask #2037, Bladnoch bottling)
Port Ellen 25yo 1979 OMC
Port Ellen 3rd Release
Port Ellen 7th Release

Not all full-size bottles, and some are samples from ryguy and Jimmy321 that I still haven't got round to trying!

[Ryguy]

Stuart, nice lineup there!
I have just enough left for a taste in the two PE's you sent over, so I'll be finishing those off for sure.

As far as anyone extra who wants to participate, I've still got the Sig 22yo bottle at home that I'm willing to break down into samples. Like Ganga, I'd like to get more people involved as well, but I'm really not sure how.

[Leorin]

I'm very interested too but I haven't figued out how should work.
For me it would only make sense, if all particitants had the same line-up. If everybody just drank the PEs he has at hand than we couldn't compare the malts and there wouldn't be much to talk about in my opinion.
I participated in many online-tastings in german whisky forums and there always was someone organized that (bought the bottles , broke them down to samples and send a sample-set to every participant).
I have lots of interesing PEs in my collection and I could make an offer, if you wish.
Slainte
Kevin

[Ras Mazunga]

I have a Port Ellen - Berry's Own Selection 25yo, 1982, 46% waiting to be opened.

[Willie JJ]

Which Bladnoch forum bottling do you have Willie?
Butt # 2036 here

Yeah 2036 here too Tom. Looking forward to opening one.

'm very interested too but I haven't figued out how should work.
For me it would only make sense, if all particitants had the same line-up. If everybody just drank the PEs he has at hand than we couldn't compare the malts and there wouldn't be much to talk about in my opinion.
I participated in many online-tastings in german whisky forums and there always was someone organized that (bought the bottles , broke them down to samples and send a sample-set to every participant).

Kevin what we were proposing to do was for each person to buy/provide a bottle and split it amongst the crew. If you are posting from Germany that might be a bit on the expensive side, I don't really know though. We would of course send you samples in return. The sample size we were aiming for was 10cl in order to allow for a decent tasting.

Ras I'm assuming you're in :

North America:
Ryguy
Ganga
Wave
Orangedogofglory

Europe:
Willie JJ
Collector57
The Tross
Ras Mazunga
Leorin?

Just pipe up if you are interested folks.

Maybe we need to be thinking about a bottle line up now?

Cheers

[Ryguy]

Ohh Mikeymad....where are you???

[Willie JJ]

Some of the less expensive bottles from TWE:

1982/25yo Independent Bottler 52% £79.99
http://www.thewhiskyexchange.com/P-7951.aspx

1982 BB&R £84.99 (is this the one you have Ras?)
http://www.thewhiskyexchange.com/P-7774.aspx

1980/25yo McGibbons £86.99
http://www.thewhiskyexchange.com/P-5836.aspx

1983/22yo McGibbons £86.99
http://www.thewhiskyexchange.com/P-5645.aspx

1983/22yo McGibbons sherry £86.99
http://www.thewhiskyexchange.com/P-4255.aspx

1982/25yo Independent Bottler 51% £89.99
http://www.thewhiskyexchange.com/P-6854.aspx

A trio of 1983/24yo McGibbons for £89.99
http://www.thewhiskyexchange.com/P-7441.aspx
http://www.thewhiskyexchange.com/P-7832.aspx
http://www.thewhiskyexchange.com/P-7891.aspx

Bladnoch casks 2037 & 2036 £89.99
http://www.thewhiskyexchange.com/P-7625.aspx
http://www.thewhiskyexchange.com/P-7461.aspx

1981 18yo G&M
http://www.thewhiskyexchange.com/P-4177.aspx

A pair of 1982/25yo OMCs:
£96.49
http://www.thewhiskyexchange.com/P-7599.aspx
£100
http://www.thewhiskyexchange.com/P-8037.aspx

Other stores have some others of course, but I thought it might be useful to see that there was real variety for £100 or less.

I think the 18yo G&M is interesting as a slightly younger example, but I hate the fact that its 40%.

Cheers

[Leorin]

Kevin what we were proposing to do was for each person to buy/provide a bottle and split it amongst the crew. If you are posting from Germany that might be a bit on the expensive side, I don't really know though. We would of course send you samples in return. The sample size we were aiming for was 10cl in order to allow for a decent tasting.

Ras I'm assuming you're in :

North America:
Ryguy
Ganga
Wave
Orangedogofglory

Europe:
Willie JJ
Collector57
The Tross
Ras Mazunga
Leorin

Just pipe up if you are interested folks.

Maybe we need to be thinking about a bottle line up now?

Cheers

Thanks Willie!
I'm in

I could contribute one of the following Port Ellens
(all sherry cask matured it seems):

Art of Whisky Da Capo 1983-2006 132 bt. 56,8%
(a german PE )

DL Provenance 21 y.o. Cask 476 aut.82- sum04 46%

A.D. Rattray 1982-2008 Cask 2466 199 bt. 60,4%


I also have some (even) more expansive bottles. Of course it depends on what the other tasters are willing (or able) to spent.

[TheTross]

I also have some (even) more expansive bottles. Of course it depends on what the other tasters are willing (or able) to spent.

That's the key thing for me. Some PEs are going for silly prices, so do we set a maximum price on the bottles to be bought, or would members be willing to do what Willie suggested and compensate those members donating samples from expensive bottlings?

[Willie JJ]

Thanks Willie!
I'm in

Excellent.

We'll try to keep the bottles at the cheaper end (preferably £100 or less) to make it as accessible as possible for the maximum number of folk.

We should be able to start sorting out who's providing what now. This looks like an obvious starting point for the Europeans:

Ras Mazunga:
Port Ellen 1982 / Cask #2030/2035 / 70cl / 46% / Berry Brothers & Rudd
Leorin:
One of: Art of Whisky Da Capo 1983-2006 132 bt. 56,8%
DL Provenance 21 y.o. Cask 476 aut.82- sum04 46%
A.D. Rattray 1982-2008 Cask 2466 199 bt. 60,4%
Willie JJ:
Bladnoch forum #2036 to try to get some commonality with the US if Wave is happy to open his.
or, something else that the US folk can get/have got.
Collector57
???
The Tross
???

We should try to match bottles across the pond as much as possible imo.

If anyone is not happy with the sample swapping then no problem we can work something else out.

Cheers