Single Malt 25th Anniversary 1973 - 1998 21YO
⏳ wine.drinking_window
As a mature, high-strength single malt Scotch whisky, this bottle is fully developed and will remain stable indefinitely if kept sealed and stored upright in a cool, dark place.
🍽️ wine.food_pairings
blue cheese, dark chocolate, smoked wild salmon
✨ wine.spec_sheet
Port Ellen is a name spoken in hushed, reverent tones by spirits connoisseurs worldwide. Distilled during the legendary era of the 1970s before the distillery's tragic closure in 1983, this rare Islay single malt represents a bygone era of traditional Scotch production. The distillations from 1973, matured over decades in oak casks, capture the quintessential 'lost' character of Port Ellen: a sublime harmony of intense, oily peat smoke, maritime sea spray, damp earth, and soft, worn leather. The peat of this era was famously sourced from the local Castlehill bogs, imparting a distinct phenolic complexity and cold-smoke character that is impossible to replicate today. This bottling serves as a liquid time capsule, a relic of Islay's industrial heritage and a testament to the slow, magical interaction between spirit and wood in the damp warehouses of the south coast.
🍾 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.