Douglas Laing launches 1979 Port Ellen bottling

The bottling firm Douglas Laing has released its oldest ever expression of Port Ellen Scotch whisky, a 40 year-old single cask, as part of its ‘The Black Series’.

Just 299 bottles of the 1979 distilled malt have been procured from a single cask and will be available throughout Europe and Asia with a retail price of £3,500 apiece.

Produced without colouring or chill filtration and with a natural cask strength of 49.6%, each bottle’s label has also been signed by chairman Fred Laing and director of whisky Cara Laing.

Cara commented: “Port Ellen is definitely a firm favourite distillery for the Douglas Laing family. It was my grandfather’s – our founder – favourite whisky and one my dad Fred and I have enjoyed together on many a special occasion over the years.

“The inimitably elegant, complex and leathery style of this particular dram embodies everything we treasure about Islay’s most celebrated distillery.”

The Port Ellen distillery on Islay was one of Scotland’s most famous ‘closed distilleries’ and its remaining malts remain highly sought-after.

The distillery itself is currently in the process of being renovated and revived by Diageo, with a £35 million refit being approved earlier this year.

Both Port Ellen and another closed distillery, Brora, which Diageo is also reopening are expected to be back in production next year.