About 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.

Port Ellen Whiskies

Port Ellen 40 Year Old - Untold Stories Series

Port Ellen 40 Year Old Untold Stories Series


Port Ellen 35 Year Old 1983 (Release No.11535) - The Stories of Wind & Wave (The Character of Islay Whisky Company)

Port Ellen 35 Year Old 1983 (Release No.11535) The Stories Of Wind & Wave (The Character Of Islay Whisky Company)


Port Ellen 20 Year Old 1978 - Rare Malts

Port Ellen 20 Year Old 1978 Rare Malts


Port Ellen 18 Year Old 1980 - Authentic Collection (WM Cadenhead)

Port Ellen 18 Year Old 1980 Authentic Collection (Wm Cadenhead)


Port Ellen 27 Year Old 1982 - Mission (Murray McDavid)

Port Ellen 27 Year Old 1982 Mission (Murray Mcdavid)


Port Ellen 25 Year Old - Premier Barrel (Douglas Laing)

Port Ellen 25 Year Old Premier Barrel (Douglas Laing)


Port Ellen 16 Year Old 1979 Dun Eideann

Port Ellen 16 Year Old 1979 Dun Eideann


Port Ellen 18 Year Old 1982 - Old Malt Cask (Douglas Laing)

Port Ellen 18 Year Old 1982 Old Malt Cask (Douglas Laing)


Port Ellen 1977 (cask 2017) - (Gordon & MacPhail)

Port Ellen 1977 (Cask 2017) (Gordon & Macphail)


Port Ellen 12 Year Old (Wilson & Morgan)

Port Ellen 12 Year Old (Wilson & Morgan)


Port Ellen 40 Year Old 1979 - 9 Rogue Casks

Port Ellen 40 Year Old 1979 9 Rogue Casks


Port Ellen 23 Year Old 1982 (Douglas Of Drumlanrig)

Port Ellen 23 Year Old 1982 (Douglas Of Drumlanrig)


Port Ellen 14 Year Old 1983 (The Cooper's Choice)

Port Ellen 14 Year Old 1983 (The Cooper's Choice)


Port Ellen 16 Year Old 1980 (cask 89/589/48) - (Dun Eideann)

Port Ellen 16 Year Old 1980 (Cask 89/589/48) (Dun Eideann)


Port Ellen 21 Year Old 1982 (Giuseppe Gambi)

Port Ellen 21 Year Old 1982 (Giuseppe Gambi)


Port Ellen 24 Year Old 1978 - Old Malt Cask (Douglas Laing)

Port Ellen 24 Year Old 1978 Old Malt Cask (Douglas Laing)


Port Ellen 25 Year Old (Whiskymessen.dk)

Port Ellen 25 Year Old (Whiskymessen.dk)


Port Ellen 1978 (cask 2694 & 2695) - (Gordon & MacPhail)

Port Ellen 1978 (Cask 2694 & 2695) (Gordon & Macphail)


Port Ellen 16 Year Old 1980 (cask 89/589/49) - First Cask

Port Ellen 16 Year Old 1980 (Cask 89/589/49) First Cask


Port Ellen 16 Year Old 1980 (cask 89/589/48) - First Cask

Port Ellen 16 Year Old 1980 (Cask 89/589/48) First Cask


Port Ellen 34 Year Old 1982 - The Kinship (Hunter Laing)

Port Ellen 34 Year Old 1982 The Kinship (Hunter Laing)


Port Ellen 21 Year Old 1980 (Silver Seal)

Port Ellen 21 Year Old 1980 (Silver Seal)


Port Ellen 14 Year Old 1979 (cask 1848) - (Wilson & Morgan)

Port Ellen 14 Year Old 1979 (Cask 1848) (Wilson & Morgan)


Port Ellen 21 Year Old 1979 - Old Malt Cask (Douglas Laing)

Port Ellen 21 Year Old 1979 Old Malt Cask (Douglas Laing)


SMWS 43.10 18 Year Old 1978 (Port Ellen)

Smws 43.10 18 Year Old 1978 (Port Ellen)


Port Ellen 33 Year Old - Batch 6 (That Boutique-y Whisky Company)

Port Ellen 33 Year Old Batch 6 (That Boutique Y Whisky Company)


Port Ellen 16 Year Old 1980 (cask 89/589/19) - (Signatory)

Port Ellen 16 Year Old 1980 (Cask 89/589/19) (Signatory)


Port Ellen 17 Year Old 1974 (Signatory)

Port Ellen 17 Year Old 1974 (Signatory)


Port Ellen 24 Year Old 1979 - 3rd Release (2003 Special Release)

Port Ellen 24 Year Old 1979 3rd Release (2003 Special Release)


Port Ellen 33 Year Old 1982 - Old & Rare Platinum (Hunter Laing)

Port Ellen 33 Year Old 1982 Old & Rare Platinum (Hunter Laing)


Port Ellen 23 Year Old 1975 (cask 152 & 153) - (Signatory)

Port Ellen 23 Year Old 1975 (Cask 152 & 153) (Signatory)


Port Ellen 18 Year Old 1976 (cask 4785) - First Cask

Port Ellen 18 Year Old 1976 (Cask 4785) First Cask


Port Ellen 35 Year Old 1978 - 14th Release (2014 Special Release)

Port Ellen 35 Year Old 1978 14th Release (2014 Special Release)


Port Ellen 28 Year Old 1982 (cask 2852) - Old Bothwell

Port Ellen 28 Year Old 1982 (Cask 2852) Old Bothwell


Port Ellen 1982 (cask 2467 & 2468) - Berry Bros & Rudd

Port Ellen 1982 (Cask 2467 & 2468) Berry Bros & Rudd


Port Ellen 31 Year Old 1982 Sherry Butt - Old and Rare (Douglas Laing)

Port Ellen 31 Year Old 1982 Sherry Butt Old And Rare (Douglas Laing)


Port Ellen 1980 (Gordon & MacPhail) - Bottled 1997

Port Ellen 1980 (Gordon & Macphail) Bottled 1997


Port Ellen 32 Year Old 1979 12th Release

Port Ellen 32 Year Old 1979 12th Release


Port Ellen 1977 - Connoisseurs Choice (Gordon & MacPhail)

Port Ellen 1977 Connoisseurs Choice (Gordon & Macphail)


Port Ellen 16 Year Old 1980 (cask 89/589/28) - (Ultimate)

Port Ellen 16 Year Old 1980 (Cask 89/589/28) (Ultimate)