Single Malt Casks Of Distinction Single Cask 1297 37YO (((Bottled 2018)))
⏳ 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.
🍽️ Food & Wine Pairings
blue cheese, dark chocolate, smoked wild salmon
✨ Technical Specifications
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.
🍾 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
57.6%