Single Malt Casks Of Distinction Single Cask 1297 37YO Bottled 2018
⏳ wine.drinking_window
Ready to enjoy upon release, this exceptionally rare spirit will remain in pristine condition indefinitely if kept unopened and stored upright away from direct sunlight.
🍽️ wine.food_pairings
blue cheese, dark chocolate, smoked wild salmon
✨ wine.spec_sheet
Port Ellen is the ultimate 'ghost' distillery of Islay, a legendary beacon of Scotch whisky history that fell silent in 1983. For decades, its remaining stocks quietly matured in warehouse cellars, gaining mythical status among collectors for their unparalleled complexity. The 'Casks of Distinction' represents Diageo's most exclusive program, where only a handful of extraordinary individual casks are hand-selected by master blenders for private acquisition. Distilled in 1981 and matured for 37 years before being bottled in 2018 from Cask 1297, this expression showcases the sublime evolution of Port Ellen's spirit. Over nearly four decades, the intense, medicinal peat smoke of its youth has softened into an elegant tapestry of gentle maritime brine, beeswax, old leather, dried citrus peel, and delicate tropical fruits, representing a liquid time capsule of a bygone era of Islay distilling.
🍾 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.