Port Ellen Distillery

Region: Islay, Scotland

Distillery: Port Ellen (Closed)

Age: 31 Y/O

ABV: 46%

Size: 700 ml

Port Ellen, the lost jewel in Islay's crown, ceased operations in 1983 under DCL (now Diageo) due to an oversupply of peated whisky for blending and perceived lack of interest as a single malt. Since then, it has attained legendary status. A very rare 12-year-old bottling, crafted for attendees of Queen Elizabeth II's visit in 1980, is believed to be the sole distillery bottling produced during its operational years. Diageo later introduced the first publicly available distillery bottlings as part of the Rare Malts Selection, followed by annual special releases. 

This Port Ellen whisky, bottled by Kingsbury was distilled in 1982 and matured for 31 years in Single Butt #10259. Only 120 bottles were released.

Independent bottler Kingsbury Wine & Spirits Co. stands as one of Japan's most sought-after independent bottler and was founded in Aberdeen in 1989 and incorporated in 1992 by Katsuhiko Tanaka, president of Japanese importer Japan Import System Co. Ltd. Initially, it sourced most of its stock from Cadenheads (which had been acquired by J&A Mitchell in 1972). Consequently some of the earlier labels have the name Eaglesome (a high-end deli in Campbeltown acquired by J & A Mitchell & Co of Springbank distillery which evolved into one of the region's premier whisky merchants and oversaw the bottling for Kingsbury).  Kingsbury has released highly collectible whiskies in the past.