SIGNATORY VINTAGE Port Ellen 18 Year Old Bottled 1998

This Port Ellen 18 Year Old (43% ABV) is an exceptional "silent distillery" bottling, distilled in 1980 and released by Signatory Vintage in 1998. Bottled at 43% in the signature 70cl "dumpy" bottle, this expression captures the raw, industrial coastal character that made Port Ellen world-famous after its 1983 closure. It is highly regarded for its quintessential "dirty" peat profile—blending medicinal iodine, cold bonfire ash, and sea spray with unique notes of tar and kippers. Because it was matured for 18 years in refill oak, the distillate's oily power remains front and center, balanced by a subtle lemon-citrus sweetness. This 1990s release is considered a legendary artifact for Islay purists, as it represents the distillery’s spirit before it reached the astronomical price points and hyper-matured profiles of later decades.