Port Ellen 20 Year Old 1978 Rare Malts Single Malt Scotch Whisky - 70cl 60.90%

🥃 Port Ellen 20 Year Old 1978 – Rare Malts Selection – 70cl, 60.9% ABV

An Iconic Islay Single Malt from a Legendary Closed Distillery

The Port Ellen 20 Year Old 1978, bottled in 1998 as part of the now-discontinued Rare Malts Selection, is a cornerstone of collectable Islay whisky. Distilled in 1978, just five years before the distillery's closure in 1983, and bottled at an uncompromising 60.9% cask strength, this expression is a rare snapshot of a lost era in Scotch history.

Port Ellen is revered for its deeply smoky, maritime character, and this 20-year-old bottling showcases everything that made the distillery a cult favourite. It is non-chill filtered, naturally strong, and extremely limited, making it an essential for serious collectors and enthusiasts of rare Islay whisky.

🔍 Tasting Notes – Port Ellen 1978 Rare Malts 20 Year Old

• Appearance: Pale straw gold

• Nose: Complex and bracing. Aromas of coastal brine, seaweed, smoky bacon, tarry rope, lemon zest, and antique leather. Subtle mineral and herbal notes emerge with water.

• Palate: Full-bodied and intense. A wave of peat smoke, salted almond, citrus oil, soot, and crushed black pepper. Remarkably layered, with both oily and ashy textures. Water softens the sharpness and reveals sweeter barley and maritime freshness.

• Finish: Exceptionally long, dry, and smoky. Lingering peat embers, sea salt, and warming spice.

🏴☠️ Port Ellen: A Closed Distillery of Mythical Status

Located on the southern coast of Islay, Port Ellen Distillery ceased production in 1983, yet its legacy lives on through a limited number of official bottlings and Rare Malts releases. Known for producing some of the most intensely smoky and complex Islay whiskies, Port Ellen bottlings are now among the most collectable and valuable Scotch whiskies in the world.

The Rare Malts Selection, launched by Diageo in the 1990s, was a prestigious series of cask-strength releases from rare and often closed distilleries. This Port Ellen 1978 20-Year-Old was one of the early entries in the series—and is now highly coveted by investors and aficionados alike.

🎁 Collector's Highlights 

• Distilled: 1978

• Bottled: 1998

• Age: 20 Years

• ABV: 60.9% (Natural Cask Strength)

• Bottle Size: 70cl

• Distillery: Port Ellen (closed 1983)

• Series: Rare Malts Selection (Discontinued)

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