November 2018 Auction

Port Ellen 1981 Single Cask 33 Year Old #1295

Filled into single hogshead #1295 on the 15 April 1981, and then matured for over 33 years. 

One of the oldest bottles of Port Ellen ever released, this is an incredible 33 year old expression and one of only 210 produced.  A rare offering that becomes rarer still when you consider the increasing scarcity of Port Ellen stocks since the distillery closed in 1983. 

The whisky, bottled at 50.5% ABV, has been drawn from single cask #1295. Released in 2015 this bottling was only made available to World Duty Free.

With the announcement of plans to reopen the legendary lost distillery there is hope that in years to come we will once again see outstanding whisky produced at Port Ellen. Until then it is safe to assume that this exceptional 33 year od is amongst the last of its kind.

Port Ellen 1981 Single Cask 33 Year Old #1295

Filled into single hogshead #1295 on the 15 April 1981, and then matured for over 33 years. 

One of the oldest bottles of Port Ellen ever released, this is an incredible 33 year old expression and one of only 210 produced.  A rare offering that becomes rarer still when you consider the increasing scarcity of Port Ellen stocks since the distillery closed in 1983. 

The whisky, bottled at 50.5% ABV, has been drawn from single cask #1295. Released in 2015 this bottling was only made available to World Duty Free.

With the announcement of plans to reopen the legendary lost distillery there is hope that in years to come we will once again see outstanding whisky produced at Port Ellen. Until then it is safe to assume that this exceptional 33 year od is amongst the last of its kind.

Port Ellen 1981 Single Cask / Feis Ile 2008

Arguably one of the rarest Port Ellen's around, this official bottling was released for the Feis Ile in 2008 and as you can imagine sold out instantly.

This 1981 vintage is the only official single cask offering from Port Ellen, distilled on 15th April 1981 and bottled in 2008.

This single ex-refill American oak cask #1301 yielded only 220 bottles.

This is bottle number 204.

Port Ellen 1978 SMWS 43.10

A Port Ellen distilled in February 1978 and bottled in August 1996. Bottled at cask strength by Scotch Malt Whisky Society. 

Port Ellen 1979 22 Year Old 1st Release

The first of the incredibly popular Port Ellen annual releases.  Distilled in 1979 and bottled 22 years later in 2001 at cask strength.

Port Ellen is the lost jewel in the Islay crown. Closure in 1983 has enabled this distillery to receive a near mythical amount of love and respect. As stocks get thinner on the ground, these bottles become rarer and rarer.

 Limited to 6,000 bottles, this is number 432.

Port Ellen 1979 22 Year Old 1st Release

The first of the incredibly popular Port Ellen annual releases.  Distilled in 1979 and bottled 22 years later in 2001 at cask strength.

Port Ellen is the lost jewel in the Islay crown. Closure in 1983 has enabled this distillery to receive a near mythical amount of love and respect. As stocks get thinner on the ground, these bottles become rarer and rarer.

 Limited to 6,000 bottles, this is number 3587.

Port Ellen 1975 Samaroli 23 Year Old

A classic Samaroli release of 1975 Port Ellen, bottled in 1996. Samaroli's long-running partnership with R.W.Duthie had ended by this point, and he had begun to have his own company bottle these at Rutherglen in Scotland.

Samaroli is perhaps Italy's most revered independent bottler of Scotch whisky. With an impeccable taste in single cask whiskies, and an eye for aesthetics (if not English spelling at times!), he is regarded by many as a visionary. Many of his bottles now occupy deserved sports on the pantheon of whisky greats.

Port Ellen has also developed a legendary status among collectors since its closure in 1983.

Bottle number 608 of 744.

Port Ellen 1979 37 Year Old 17th Release​

The seventeenth edition of the incredibly popular Port Ellen annual releases. Distilled in 1979 and bottled 37 years later in 2017, bottled at cask strength and limited to 2988 bottles, this is bottle 2058.

Port Ellen is the lost jewel in the Islay crown. Closure in 1983 has enabled this distillery to receive a near mythical amount of love and respect. As stocks get thinner on the ground, these bottles become rarer and rarer.

Port Ellen 1978 37 Year Old 16th Release

The sixteenth edition of the incredibly popular Port Ellen annual releases. Distilled in 1978 and bottled 37 years later in 2016, bottled at cask strength. 

Port Ellen is the lost jewel in the Islay crown. Closure in 1983 has enabled this distillery to receive a near mythical amount of love and respect. As stocks get thinner on the ground, these bottles become rarer and rarer.

Limited to 2940 bottles, this is bottle 2010.

Port Ellen 1978 35 Year Old 14th Release

The fourteenth edition of the incredibly popular Port Ellen annual releases.  Distilled in 1978 and bottled 35 years later in 2014, bottled at cask strength.

Port Ellen is the lost jewel in the Islay crown. Closure in 1983 has enabled this distillery to receive a near mythical amount of love and respect. As stocks get thinner on the ground, these bottles become rarer and rarer.

Limited to 2,964 bottles, this is bottle 1553. 

Weller's Antique Reserve 10 Year Old Original Barrel Proof 1970s / Stitzel-Weller

A fantastic old bottling of Weller's Antique Reserve, aged 10 years and bottled at a barrel proof of 110.

Distilled and then bottled in the early 1970s at the legendary Stizel-Weller distillery, and given the age statement, likely from stock produced by Julian Van Winkle I before his death in the mid-1960s. The distillery was then run by his son, Julian Van Winkle II until its sale in 1972. The leaflet in the box has a note signed off by Julian II as company president, meaning this bottle predates the sale.

Presented in an ornate felt lined box with two glasses.

Port Ellen 1978 37 Year Old 16th Release

The sixteenth edition of the incredibly popular Port Ellen annual releases. Distilled in 1978 and bottled 37 years later in 2016, bottled at cask strength. 

Port Ellen is the lost jewel in the Islay crown. Closure in 1983 has enabled this distillery to receive a near mythical amount of love and respect. As stocks get thinner on the ground, these bottles become rarer and rarer.

Limited to 2940 bottles, this is bottle 1590.

Pappy Van Winkle 23 Year Old Family Reserve

The oldest release as part of the 'Pappy Van Winkle Family Reserve' series of bourbons.  

Matured for an incredible 23 years, this is now one of the most desirable, collectable and stunning Bourbon whiskeys in the world. This is a 2017 bottling.

Bottle number I4099

Bottle code: B172490112:17N

Pappy Van Winkle 23 Year Old Family Reserve

The oldest release as part of the 'Pappy Van Winkle Family Reserve' series of bourbons.  

Matured for an incredible 23 years, this is now one of the most desirable, collectable and stunning Bourbon whiskeys in the world. This is a 2016 bottling.

Bottle number H3378. 

Port Ellen 1982 Malts of Scotland

A single cask Port Ellen from German independent label, Malts of Scotland.

Distilled in 1982, a year before the distillery closed. This was bottled in 2016 from a single sherry hogshead #16017.

Bottle 9 of 225.

Port Ellen 1983 32 Year Old 15th Release 75cl / US Import​

The fifteenth edition of the incredibly popular Port Ellen annual releases. Distilled in 1978 and bottled 32 years later in 2015, bottled at cask strength.

Port Ellen is the lost jewel in the Islay crown. Closure in 1983 has enabled this distillery to receive a near mythical amount of love and respect. As stocks get thinner on the ground, these bottles become rarer and rarer.

Limited to 2964 bottles, this is number 2651.

Port Ellen 1983 32 Year Old 15th Release

The fifteenth edition of the incredibly popular Port Ellen annual releases. Distilled in 1978 and bottled 32 years later in 2015, bottled at cask strength. 

Port Ellen is the lost jewel in the Islay crown. Closure in 1983 has enabled this distillery to receive a near mythical amount of love and respect. As stocks get thinner on the ground, these bottles become rarer and rarer.

Limited to 2,964 bottles, this is bottle number 325. 

Port Ellen 1978 34 Year Old 13th Release

The thirteenth edition of the incredibly popular Port Ellen annual releases. Distilled in 1978 and bottled 34 years later in 2014, bottled at cask strength.

Port Ellen is the lost jewel in the Islay crown. Closure in 1983 has enabled this distillery to receive a near mythical amount of love and respect. As stocks get thinner on the ground, these bottles become rarer and rarer.

 Limited to 2,958 bottles, this is bottle 1897.

Port Ellen 1978 31 Year Old 10th Release 

The tenth release of this famed Limited Edition series from Diageo. Port Ellen is the lost jewel in the Islay crown. Closure in 1983 has enabled this distillery to receive a near mythical amount of love and respect. As stocks get thinner on the ground, these bottles become rarer and rarer.

Distilled 1978 and bottled in 2010.

This is bottle 1150 of only 3000.

Port Ellen 1979 32 Year Old 11th Release

The eleventh of the incredibly popular Port Ellen annual releases. Distilled in 1979 and bottled 32 years later in 2011 at cask strength. 

Port Ellen is the lost jewel in the Islay crown. Closure in 1983 has enabled this distillery to receive a near mythical amount of love and respect. As stocks get thinner on the ground, these bottles become rarer and rarer.

Limited to 2,988 bottles, this is bottle 677.​

Port Ellen 1978 31 Year Old 10th Release 

The tenth release of this famed Limited Edition series from Diageo. Port Ellen is the lost jewel in the Islay crown. Closure in 1983 has enabled this distillery to receive a near mythical amount of love and respect. As stocks get thinner on the ground, these bottles become rarer and rarer.

Distilled 1978 and bottled in 2010.

This is bottle 2323 of only 3000.

Willett Family Estate 23 Year Old Single Barrel Bourbon #B58 / Wheated

An exclusive release from cask #B58, which means that it was produced at Bernheim distillery and will have a high wheat content mashbill. At 23 years old, this barrel pre-dates the Heaven Hill purchase of Bernheim, although Kentucky Bourbon Distillers still procure much of their bottling stock from there while their renewed distilling operation at Willett is still in its infancy.

Matured in a single white oak barrel and bottled for exclusive retail in the Willett distillery gift shop.

One of just 108 bottles.

Port Ellen 1978 31 Year Old 10th Release 

The tenth release of this famed Limited Edition series from Diageo. Port Ellen is the lost jewel in the Islay crown. Closure in 1983 has enabled this distillery to receive a near mythical amount of love and respect. As stocks get thinner on the ground, these bottles become rarer and rarer.

Distilled 1978 and bottled in 2010.

This is bottle 0939 of only 3000.

Port Ellen 1983 32 Year Old 15th Release

The fifteenth edition of the incredibly popular Port Ellen annual releases. Distilled in 1978 and bottled 32 years later in 2015, bottled at cask strength. 

Port Ellen is the lost jewel in the Islay crown. Closure in 1983 has enabled this distillery to receive a near mythical amount of love and respect. As stocks get thinner on the ground, these bottles become rarer and rarer.

Limited to 2964 bottles, this is bottle number 934. 

Pappy Van Winkle 20 Year Old Family Reserve / Stitzel-Weller

This bourbon has become quite legendary, particularly after the theft of 65 X 3 bottle cases in 2013. It is also the expression which first brought the Van Winkle brand to prominence after being awarded an unprecedented score of 99 at the Beverage Testing Institute in 1996.

Now incredibly hard to find and even harder to buy from any retailer. This is a 2011 bottling, one of the last to be produced using stock distilled and barrelled at Stitzel-Weller before it closed in 1992. The Van Winkle family had been continuing to source their bourbon from Stitzel-Weller despite parting ways with the business in 1972.

Serial Number: K2581112:51

Port Ellen 1979 30 Year Old 9th Release

The ninth of the incredibly popular Port Ellen annual releases. Distilled in 1979 and bottled 30 years later in 2009, bottled at cask strength.

Port Ellen is the lost jewel in the Islay crown. Closure in 1983 has enabled this distillery to receive a near mythical amount of love and respect. As stocks get thinner on the ground, these bottles become rarer and rarer.

This is bottle number 3098 of 5916. 

Pappy Van Winkle 20 Year Old Family Reserve

This bourbon has become quite legendary, particularly after the theft of 65 X 3 bottle cases in 2013. It is also the expression which first brought the Van Winkle brand to prominence after being awarded an unprecedented score of 99 at the Beverage Testing Institute in 1996.

Now incredibly hard to find and even harder to buy from any retailer. This is a 2014 bottling.

Serial number is B14155510:22K

Pappy Van Winkle 20 Year Old Family Reserve

This bourbon has become quite legendary, particularly after the theft of 65 X 3 bottle cases in 2013. It is also the expression which first brought the Van Winkle brand to prominence after being awarded an unprecedented score of 99 at the Beverage Testing Institute in 1996.

Now incredibly hard to find and even harder to buy from any retailer. This is a 2014 bottling.

Serial number is B1415507:33K

Pappy Van Winkle 20 Year Old Family Reserve

This bourbon has become quite legendary, particularly after the theft of 65 X 3 bottle cases in 2013. It is also the expression which first brought the Van Winkle brand to prominence after being awarded an unprecedented score of 99 at the Beverage Testing Institute in 1996.

Now incredibly hard to find and even harder to buy from any retailer. This is a 2017 bottling.

Serial number is L17261...(remainder is smudged).

Port Ellen 1979 32 Year Old 11th Release

The eleventh of the incredibly popular Port Ellen annual releases. Distilled in 1979 and bottled 32 years later in 2011 at cask strength. 

Port Ellen is the lost jewel in the Islay crown. Closure in 1983 has enabled this distillery to receive a near mythical amount of love and respect. As stocks get thinner on the ground, these bottles become rarer and rarer.

Limited to 2,988 bottles, this is bottle 1247.​

Port Ellen 1979 30 Year Old 9th Release

The ninth of the incredibly popular Port Ellen annual releases. Distilled in 1979 and bottled 30 years later in 2009, bottled at cask strength.

Port Ellen is the lost jewel in the Islay crown. Closure in 1983 has enabled this distillery to receive a near mythical amount of love and respect. As stocks get thinner on the ground, these bottles become rarer and rarer.

This is bottle number 2748 of 5916. 

Pappy Van Winkle 20 Year Old Family Reserve

This bourbon has become quite legendary, particularly after the theft of 65 X 3 bottle cases in 2013. It is also the expression which first brought the Van Winkle brand to prominence after being awarded an unprecedented score of 99 at the Beverage Testing Institute in 1996.

Now incredibly hard to find and even harder to buy from any retailer. This is a 2017 bottling.

Serial number is L172610112:59N