Single Malt 16th Release (((Bottled 2016)))
⏳ Drinking Window
Ready to enjoy now; will keep indefinitely when stored upright in a cool, dark place.
🍽️ Food & Wine Pairings
Smoked salmon, blue cheese, dark chocolate
✨ Technical Specifications
An extraordinary relic from one of Scotland's most legendary 'ghost' distilleries, the Port Ellen 16th Release is a highly coveted 37-year-old single malt distilled in 1978 and bottled in 2016. Port Ellen, located on the south coast of Islay, was shuttered in 1983, making its remaining stocks finite and precious. This expression captures the quintessential historic character of the distillery: a complex tapestry of gentle peat smoke, maritime sea salt, old leather, and oily citrus. It represents a bygone era of traditional Islay distilling, where the peat was intensely medicinal yet balanced by decades of slow wood maturation in refill American oak hogsheads and European oak butts.
🍾 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 Ingredient
Malted Barley
🍷 Alcohol By Volume (ABV)
55.2%