Single Malt Casks Of Distinction European Oak No 6819 40YO (((Bottled 2019)))
⏳ Drinking Window
Bottled at peak maturity after 40 years of aging, this exceptional spirit is ready to be savored immediately and will keep indefinitely when stored upright away from direct light.
🍽️ Food & Wine Pairings
Blue cheese, dark chocolate, smoked wild salmon
✨ Technical Specifications
Hailing from the legendary 'ghost' distillery of Port Ellen on the windswept south coast of Islay, this ultra-rare single malt represents the absolute pinnacle of Scotch whisky collecting. Distilled in 1979 and matured for four decades in a single European oak butt (Cask No. 6819) before being bottled in 2019, it was selected as part of Diageo's highly exclusive 'Casks of Distinction' program. Over forty years of slumber, the distillery's famously intense, medicinal peat smoke has undergone a magical transformation, integrating with the rich, spicy influence of European oak. The result is an incredibly complex, elegant spirit where maritime brine, old leather, dried dark fruits, and soft, beeswax-coated peat smoke harmonize in perfect balance—a liquid monument to a bygone era of Islay distilling.
🍾 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.
🍷 ABV
50.9%