Port Ellen Celebrates 200 Years with a Landmark 42-Year-Old Release- The Port Ellen 200th Anniversary Edition
– Port Ellen, one of the world’s most revered Single Malt Scotch Whiskies, celebrates its 200th anniversary with the release of a rare 42-Year-Old. With only 150 available, this extraordinary bottling is a quintessential Port Ellen, celebrating the nuances of smoke renowned from this distillery.
Having been closed for over four decades, Port Ellen reopened last year, re-envisioned for the future, with spirit once again flowing through its stills. This is the first limited release from Port Ellen since its reopening, and was originally distilled in 1983, shortly before the distillery fell silent.
Having matured gently for more than four decades in European oak casks, the whisky was bottled at 42-Years-Old, and is housed in an elegant bottle and box with a pared back aesthetic. Its harmony of smoke and rich aromas are true to the distillery’s signature character, and a testament to Port Ellen’s passion to push the boundaries of Scotch exploration, as well as a toast to the trailblazing future which lies ahead.
Port Ellen Master Blender Aimée Morrison described the bottling as, “A wonderful expression which embodies the essence of Port Ellen; the complexities of smoke mingled with underlying berry flavours, bringing depth and harmony to the whisky.” With “notes of caramelising brown sugars balanced with red berries and peeled red apple skin” and “smoke which climbs into the distance”, this bottling showcases the best of Port Ellen.
Signifying a special moment in time for the distillery, it is being released as part of a year long celebration honouring 200 years of Port Ellen whisky, which also includes:
● The unveiling of Port Ellen Prism: the oldest single malt ever released from the distillery, housed within a mesmerising one-of-a-kind sculptural artwork designed by Wilfried Grootens, donated to Sotheby’s Distillers’ One of One charity auction.
● A new installation by Ini Archibong soon to be revealed at the Islay distillery: continuing Port Ellen’s spirit of creativity and exploration, using art and science to investigate and understand the nuances of smoke flavour.
● An ongoing mission to chart the Atlas of Smoke: Port Ellen will mark this anniversary by launching the first in a matrix of distillery experiments, investigating the intricacies of every part of the process that affects the flavour of smoke, using state-of-the-art equipment to demystify flavour, reveal the dimensions of smoke, and push the boundaries of Scotch whisky.
The Port Ellen 200th Anniversary Edition will be available to purchase from October 2025, from at the distillery on Islay by appointment, or by enquiring with the private client team in Scotland, via www.diageorareandexceptional.com/ww/our-services/contact-us. Only 150 bottles are available, priced at £7,500 (RRSP).
For those visiting the distillery, the Port Ellen 200th Anniversary Release can be tasted during a commemorative experience also available from October, honouring this special moment in its history.
This will also include historic cask draws as well as samples of rare Prima & Ultima bottlings,
showing a variety of styles from historic malts and will also allow those visiting to be some of the first
to witness the soon to be revealed Ini Archibong installation.
Greg
You might be interested in
More from the blog
Follow greatdrams
latest articles
Latest whisky
exclusively from GreatDrams
-
The GreatDrams Signature Barrel Decanter
Price range: £200.00 through £370.00
