Single Malt 9 Rogue Casks 40YO (((Bottled 2020)))
⏳ Drinking Window
Ready to enjoy now; as a high-strength distilled spirit, it will remain in peak condition indefinitely when stored properly unopened.
🍽️ Food & Wine Pairings
Blue cheese, dark chocolate, smoked wild game
✨ Technical Specifications
This legendary release from the ghost distillery of Port Ellen represents a monumental moment in spirits history. Distilled in 1979 and bottled in 2020, the '9 Rogue Casks' is a historic 40-year-old single malt curated by Master Blender Dr. Craig Wilson. He identified nine distinct casks—four American oak hogsheads and five European oak butts—that possessed an unusual, rogue character deviating from the distillery's traditional heavy peat. Instead of the typical intense smoke, these casks yielded an extraordinarily complex, elegant spirit where the classic maritime brine, soft leather, and bonfire smoke of Islay are beautifully intertwined with unexpected notes of tropical fruit, oily citrus, and delicate herbal undertones. It stands as a liquid monument to the silent years of Port Ellen before its historic 2024 revival.
🍾 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
50.9%