Port Ellen 1983 Douglas McGibbon 23 Year Old / "Final Vintage"

Port Ellen is the lost jewel in the Islay crown, closed down by DCL (now Diageo) in 1983 due to an oversupply of peated whisky for blending and a perceived lack of interest in it as a single malt. It has developed a legendary status in the years since. A very rare 12 year old bottled for attendees of the visit of Queen Elizabeth II in 1980 is believed to have been the only distillery bottling produced in its years of operation. Diageo have bottled more since, but it is the independent companies that have given the whisky world the best chance to sample this sought after single malt.

This whisky was distilled in 1983 and aged for 23 years. It was distilled during Port Ellen's final season before being closed.

Douglas McGibbon & Co were established in 1947 becoming a subsidiary of independent bottler, Douglas Laing, in 1950. They are perhaps best known for their McGibbon's blend and its golf-themed decanters, but for many years produced this Provenance brand for single malts as well. When Douglas Laing was carved up between brothers Stewart and Fred in 2013, the McGibbon's and Provenance brands were retained by Fred as part of Douglas Laing firm, with other notable labels such as the Old Malt Cask going the other way, to Stewart's newly founded Hunter Laing. Nowadays the Provenance brand is part of the main Douglas Laing portfolio, with Douglas McGibbon the named bottler on Clan Denny releases.