Port Ellen

Port Ellen distillery stands in the village of Port Ellen on the south coast of Islay. It dates from the 1820s and was closed in 1983 during a downturn in the whisky industry, when most of its buildings were later removed. The large Port Ellen maltings next door kept running and still supply malted barley to many Islay distilleries.

In the years after closure, the peaty, coastal and often quite oily spirit left in casks gained a strong following, and Port Ellen became one of the most sought-after names among collectors. Owner Diageo rebuilt the distillery, and spirit has been running again since 2024, though the bottles a buyer meets today come from the old stock distilled before 1983.

Official bottlings include the annual Special Releases, such as the 28 Year Old 1979 7th Release and the 31 Year Old 1978 10th Release, and later very old limited releases such as the 9 Rogue Casks 40 Year Old. Prices for these are high and rise as stock runs out.

Port Ellen was also widely bottled by independent bottlers, especially in the 1990s and 2000s when casks were easier to find. Our catalogue includes bottlings from Douglas Laing (Old Malt Cask, Old Particular and Provenance), Hunter Laing, Gordon & MacPhail, Murray McDavid, Malts of Scotland, Hart Brothers, That Boutique-y Whisky Company and Master of Malt. Many are single casks, so check the vintage, age and cask details carefully when comparing.