Single Malt 12th Release 32YO ((Bottled 2012))
⏳ Drinking Window
Ready to enjoy now; this bottle-matured spirit will remain in peak condition indefinitely if stored upright and away from direct sunlight.
🍽️ Food & Wine Pairings
Smoked salmon, blue cheese, dark chocolate
✨ Technical Specifications
The Port Ellen 12th Release 32 Year Old is a legendary monument to Islay's distilling history. Distilled in 1979 and matured for over three decades before its bottling in 2012, this rare single malt captures the final golden years of the original distillery before it fell silent in 1983. Port Ellen's warehouses stood right on the edge of the Atlantic, allowing the casks to breathe in the salty sea air and damp maritime mist for 32 years. This long, slow maturation in refill American oak casks softened the intense, oily peat smoke of the spirit, transforming it into a highly complex masterpiece of soft leather, maritime brine, lemon oil, and subtle, sweet wood smoke. As one of the highly coveted annual Diageo Special Releases, it represents a finite piece of liquid history from a ghost distillery whose spirit stills were only recently revived.
🍾 About the Producer
Established in 1825 by Alexander Ker Mackay and substantially shaped under the tenure of John Ramsay, Port Ellen stands as one of the most mythic names in Scotch whisky. Situated on the southern shoreline of Islay, the maritime climate and proximity to Loch Leorin water sources have historically lent the spirit an unmistakable coastal salinity, dry peat smoke, and refined oily texture. Mothballed in 1930 and extensively modernised upon reopening in 1967, Port Ellen closed again in 1983 during the industry-wide downturn. In the ensuing four decades of silence, remaining stocks matured in predominantly refill oak casks, yielding expressions celebrated for delicate citrus, chalky soot, and balanced coastal complexity. In 2024, owner Diageo officially reawakened the distillery, recreating its original copper pot distillation geometry with the Phoenix Stills alongside dedicated experimental units to preserve its revered historic profile while exploring contemporary single malt production.
🍇 Base Material
Malted Barley
🍷 ABV
52.5%