Single Malt 12th Release 32YO Bottled 2012
⏳ wine.drinking_window
Ready to enjoy now; this bottle-matured spirit will remain in peak condition indefinitely if stored upright and away from direct sunlight.
🍽️ wine.food_pairings
Smoked salmon, blue cheese, dark chocolate
✨ wine.spec_sheet
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.
🍾 wine.about_producer
Established in 1825 by Alexander Mackay on the south coast of Islay, Scotland, Port Ellen is a legendary name in the world of spirits, revered for its deeply complex and peaty single malt Scotch whiskies. After acquisition by John Ramsay and later transitioning to Diageo, the distillery was closed in 1983, transforming its remaining maturing casks into some of the most highly coveted and collectible liquid gold in existence. Characterized by a signature profile of intense peat smoke, maritime brine, soft leather, and oily citrus, its rare vintage releases—such as the highly prized annual Diageo Special Releases—are celebrated globally by connoisseurs. In 2024, Diageo officially revived this iconic producer, restoring its historic spirit stills to continue its legacy of uncompromising Islay character.