First Impressions
Pouring a Port Ellen is a sacred act. Closed in 1983 during the great whisky loch downturn, this Islay distillery became the most mythologised silent stillhouse in Scotland.
Distillery & Heritage
Founded in 1825 on the south coast of Islay near the village of the same name, Port Ellen was rebuilt by John Ramsay and pioneered the spirit safe. The maltings still serve all of Islay today, but the stills fell silent for nearly four decades. In 2017 Diageo announced its resurrection, and the new stills ran spirit again in 2024.
Tasting Notes in Detail
What makes old Port Ellen extraordinary is the marriage of coastal peat with tropical fruit that only emerges after decades in oak.
Verdict
A liquid time capsule from a lost era of Islay distilling.
