Port Ellen Gemini 44 year old Original Cask, 54.9%

Distilled in 1978, this smells like the ocean, with dulse, uni, sea salt, samphire, dried pear, and vanilla buttercream, but give it 10 minutes, and you get some mild cigar ash too. Sweet orange, toffee, butterscotch, pepper concentrated on the tip of the tongue, vanilla shortbread, saltiness, caramel, and peppery smoke. Lengthy finish with more peat smoke and lemon bonbon; water brings out more fruit and a hint of cocoa.—JM £45,000 (part of a two-bottle set)