Port Ellen distillery, located on the southern coast of the Isle of Islay in Scotland, is a renowned name in the world of Scotch whisky. Established in 1824 by Alexander Ker Mackay, the distillery gained prominence for its distinctive single malt whiskies. Situated in the village of Port Ellen, the distillery operated for nearly 160 years before closing its doors in 1983. Despite its closure, Port Ellen whiskies continue to be highly sought after by enthusiasts and collectors due to their complex flavours, limited availability and the hype generated by very good reviews from a few famous whisky blogs. The distillery’s iconic whitewashed buildings and traditional pagoda roof are emblematic of Scotland’s whisky-making heritage. Despite being silent for 40 years, the distillery is being resurrected, as I could see in July with construction still being done, and a beautiful looking still room almost ready to produce whisky again. Whilst it will be years before we can try the ‘new generation’ Port Ellen whisky, let’s try two Special Releases both distilled in 1979: the Port Ellen 7th and 12th Release. We reviewed two different Port Ellen (including a 1979) before on these pages, with different results, so let’s see how those 1979 do.
Read more
