This is a classic Rare Malts bottling of single malt Scotch whisky from the infamous, though sadly closed, Port Ellen distillery on Islay. Matured for 20 years after being distille...
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Port Ellen 20 Year Old 1978 Rare Malts
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This is a classic Rare Malts bottling of single malt Scotch whisky from the infamous, though sadly closed, Port Ellen distillery on Islay. Matured for 20 years after being distilled in 1978, it was bottled at natural cask strength - a sturdy 60.9% ABV.
This bottle was part of a private collection - if you'd like more detailed photos just get in touch!
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About The Brand: Port Ellen
On the Scottish island of Islay, at Port Ellen, is where you can find the Port Ellen distillery. Between 1825 through 1983, when production ceased, it was initially in operation. In 1825, Port Ellen was founded as a malt mill. From 1833 until 1892, John Ramsay turned Port Ellen into a distillery. The warehouses he constructed are still standing and are classified structures. The Distillers Company Limited purchased the distillery in 1925, shuttered it in 1930, and restored it in 1966–1967. It continued to produce throughout the 1970s till being shut down in 1983[3], however its single malt whiskey is still in demand. When Port Ellen was shut down in 1983, Diageo did demolish some of the structures, use others for other purposes, and destroy the stills. According to a 1987 contract, the distillery's malting facility continues to serve all Islay distilleries. Diageo is the owner of the diminishing supplies of Port Ellen whiskey; as a result of the distillery's closure, the whisky is now a rare find. Following a £35 million investment to rebuild both Port Ellen and their defunct Brora distillery in Sutherland, which similarly shut down in 1983, Diageo stated on October 9 that the distillery will reopen in 2020. Diageo has kept the possibility of earlier releases open, but speculated that the first fresh release may be of a 12-year-old expression in 2032. Diageo submitted plans to reopen the distillery and construct a new stillhouse on May 8, 2019. Diageo claims that they are making significant efforts to recreate new stills that are as similar as possible to the originals. They cite factory records from the 1980s and mention that they have former Port Ellen employees working for them elsewhere on Islay to help them recreate the Port Ellen look accurately. Alexander McDonald, an Islay local who has held executive roles in the Kilchoman, Lagavulin, and Caol Ila distilleries, is now in charge of the distillery's construction. Plans call for the distillery to reopen in 2023 as of 2022.
