Port Ellen 200th Anniversary

PORT ELLEN MARKS MILESTONE 200TH ANNIVERSARY

One year on from the opening of a re-envisioned distillery on Islay, Scotland, Port Ellen whisky celebrates 200 years.

A Historic Release from Port Ellen Distillery

This year, to mark 200 years since the Port Ellen distillery's founding, we unveil a release that captures its remarkable character.

Distilled in 1983, the final year before closure, this 42-Year-Old has matured for over four decades in Refill European Oak, bottled at 56.4% ABV and offering a layered glimpse into the last spirit laid down before its silence. With a mere 150 bottles, this is the first distillery only release since the reopening and only the second ever 1983 bottling, the last appearing a decade ago in 2015. The style is unmistakable: smoky Port Ellen depth, lifted by ripe berries and caramelised sugars, bringing balance and harmony to the whisky.

Available from late September 2025, exclusively at the distillery by appointment or through the Diageo private client team in Scotland.

Ini Archibong in a room sitting on a couch looking out the window

PORT ELLEN 1825 - 2025

This year marks 200 years of Port Ellen whisky, and in celebration of this milestone, trailblazing plans for its next chapter are revealed. New whisky trials are underway, to explore the nuance of smoke in Scotch Whisky – a signature project entitled “Atlas of Smoke”. Port Ellen will share its latest discoveries generated from the project, illustrated through contemporary artistic commissions, including by Ini Archibong, bold new tasting experiences, and future Single Malt Scotch Whisky releases

Three glasses of Port Ellen whisky on a wooden table

PIONEERING EXPERIMENTATION

Port Ellen whisky-makers are striving to build a matrix of experimental liquids, investigating the intricacies of every part of the process that affects the flavour of smoke, from peat levels to distillation cut points. The standout one-of-a-kind Ten Part Spirit Safe, unveiled at reopening in March 2024, allows distillers to access unexplored flavours like never before. While standard distillery spirit safes allow for three cuts of the spirit run – the head, the heart and the tails - the Port Ellen Ten Part Spirit Safe allows multiple cuts to be drawn from the heart of the run, accessing previously unexplored flavours and characteristics, and takes the whisky-making art to new levels of intricacy and complexity.

By pushing the boundaries of whisky distillation, Port Ellen aims to explore new and mysterious dimensions of smoke. Alongside distillation of Port Ellen’s iconic traditional smoky spirit in the Phoenix stills, the Experimental stills, the second set in the still room, will be working to lay a pipeline of Port Ellen’s pioneering investigations in whisky-making. These experiments will form the next chapter of Port Ellen, and the Atlas of Smoke.

Aimée Morrison, Master Blender

"It is a great honour to help take Port Ellen into its third century of whisky making. Through collaboration of Port Ellen’s team, technical experts and whisky specialists; experimental hypotheses have been created which all look at different aspects of flavour within the world of smoke as we currently understand it. Smoke as a signature of Port Ellen is an aroma that encompasses such a broad spectrum of flavour, be it wood smoke, medicinal essence, salinity or embers from a fire. Through experimentation we hope to learn more around the intricacies of Port Ellen’s quintessential character. We look forward to sharing elements of the results of these investigations with guests at the distillery, from the Pagoda room where we will house a liquid library of our findings."

Ini Archibong in a room sitting with a glass of whisky

NEW RELEASE BOTTLINGS AND CONTEMPORARY CREATIVE ARTWORKS

Inspired by this ongoing experimentation, renowned creative and Port Ellen collaborator Ini Archibong will produce a new installation inspired by Port Ellen’s story and his interpretation of the nuances of smoke, to be unveiled at the close of this celebratory year. Ini previously created a piece for the brand named “Dram and the Water” which accompanied a cask of Port Ellen 1979, auctioned by Sotheby’s in 2022 for over $1,000,000. His next creation for Port Ellen will live at the distillery and represent a legacy linking the past with a vision of the future.

DISCOVER PORT ELLEN PRISM

Discover the Mesmerising Port Ellen Prism at The Distiller's One of One Charity Auction

We are proud to unveil Port Ellen Prism, the oldest ever release from the famed Islay distillery. The 46-Year-Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky is encased in a striking one-of-a-kind sculptural glass artwork by renowned artist Wilfried Grootens, which captures the interplay of light and smoke.

Supporting a Worthy Cause

This unique bottling will be featured at The Distiller’s One of One Charity Auction with Sotheby’s this October at Hopetoun House, Scotland. Proceeds will benefit the Youth Action Fund, supporting disadvantaged young people across Scotland.

For more information on this remarkable piece please visit the Distillers One of One page or to book limited experiences at Port Ellen click here.

Aimée Morrison and a person holding a glass of Port Ellen whisky

BOOK YOUR EXPERIENCE

Tickets for the range of exceptional experiences are available at www.portellen.com

A range of tailored experiences at the distillery are also available year round by visiting www.portellen.com to enquire.

ENQUIRE NOW