Port Ellen is a whisky distillery with a rich history, dating back to 1825 when it was established as a maltings, and later developed into a distillery in 1833 under the leadership of John Ramsay. The distillery was operated by the Distillers Company Limited from 1925 but was closed in 1930 and rebuilt in 1966/1967. Production continued through the 1970s until the distillery was closed in 1983, although single malt whisky from Port Ellen is still available.
The 13th release of Port Ellen's single malt whisky is a highly anticipated release from the cult closed distillery. This whisky was distilled in 1978 and matured for 34 years before being bottled in 2013. It is part of Diageo's annual special releases, with only 2,958 bottles available worldwide. The whisky is matured in a combination of refill American and European oak casks and is bottled at natural cask strength, boasting an ABV of 55%.
Upon nosing this exquisite whisky, one is greeted with a captivating mix of peaty smoke, maritime notes, and a touch of saltiness. The nose is thick and earthy, with farmy notes reminiscent of horse stables, leather saddles, and smoky peat aromas. Subtle fruit notes emerge as sweetish green, comprising figs, grapefruit, lime, and avocado, enhanced with a touch of vanilla and leather.
The palate offers a unique and exceptional experience, with an initial sweetness that transitions into complex maritime flavors. Expect sharp, smoky, and lemony notes, almost juicy and zesty, with elements of peppery oak, a few ashes, earthy peat, and a hint of rubber. Additional tasting reveals flavors like rook, turf, seaweed, iodine, vanilla, and citrus fruit, combined with herbal-minty-fresh accents. There are also nuances of coal, volcanic gum, cumin, and spiced chili peppers, with a delightful fruity break featuring mellow yellow fruits.
The finish is long and smoky, with persistent peat, tar, salty butter, brine, black pepper, and lemon juice. Over time, the peat unfolds better, offering a harmonious conclusion. The finish also reveals notes of plain chocolate and liquorice, adding depth to this highly sought-after release.
This whisky is the 13th edition from the Annual Release series and is a rare and highly sought-after gem. Fans of Islay whisky will not be disappointed with this top-of-the-line release, which continues to impress even among connoisseurs and collectors.
This release is part of Diageo's annual special releases and is highly anticipated due to the distillery's cult status. Only 2,958 bottles were produced, making it a rare and collectible item.
The whisky is matured in a combination of refill American and European oak casks, which contribute to its complex flavor profile.
The whisky is noted for its peaty smoke, maritime flavors, and complex palate that includes citrus fruit, vanilla, and earthy peat.
The 13th release of Port Ellen by Diageo is a stellar representation of what this closed distillery can offer. The complex nose, coupled with the intricate and evolving palate, makes this a must-try for any serious whisky aficionado. Despite some notes of bitterness on the finish, the overall harmony and depth of flavors make this a remarkable dram that truly stands out in the series.
Spirit Radar is my daily tool that become crucial for my busines. As an independent bottler I follow my bottles (The Colours of Rum) on various e-commerce sites. On the other hand, a spirits' collector I use Spirit Radar to chase bottles I want to buy or sell. I also use "my collection" tool to value my own bottles. Spirit Radar become really useful and I can see the team works systematically to improve the app. I will surely remain loyal user.
CEO Wealth Solutions SA
We have used Spirit Radar since the very beginning. Both in our business and for private use. It is a fantastic tool to keep you updated in the market. It can be very time consuming to find an exact bottle somewhere in the world, but with Spirit Radar, you can get that information within seconds. We have also used it when we need to keep track of our bottles and see what our customers wants. Besides that, its an interesting platform, when you want to explore the rum world, or search for bottles that could be really hard to find in the normal stores. It is very easy and intuitive to use.
Mastertaster at Romdeluxe
Spirit Radar gathers as much information and data as possible about each bottle. We have collected historical offers and auctions for each bottle, sometimes dating back to 2012.
We constantly check every site for new and updated offers. When a bottle becomes in stock, we know it within minutes.
We use all this data to compute the market value of each bottle. As a result, you can see the price trend of each bottle and find the best place to buy it.
In addition, we constantly expand our database: we add new bottles, online stores, and auction portals. Find new releases and rare bottles for the best prices.
Spirit Radar allows you to add bottles to your watch list. When we find a bottle from your watch list in stock, we will send you a notification. You can also set a maximum price you are willing to pay, and we will ignore all more expensive offers.
We check every site multiple times a day, the hottest bottles even every few minutes. You will be one of the first to know when a bottle becomes available to buy.
When we find an auction of a bottle you watch, we will notify you before it ends. You can disable all auction-related notifications or disable them for individual bottles.
Do you know the current value of your collection? And how has it grown during the last 30 days? Spirit Radar makes it simple. Just add bottles to your collection and enter purchase prices.
Every day, you'll get an updated value of your collection and how much you gained since you purchased the bottles. These statistics are provided for your entire collection, as well as for individual bottles.
Security is our top priority. Only you can see your collection and statistics.