Port Ellen 20 Y.O. 1978 Release 1998 

The Rare Malts Selection was a historical selection of Single Malt Scotch Whiskies from both operating and defunct distilleries, released by Diageo between 1995 and 2005, always strictly cask strength. As with the Flora & Fauna series, these were often distilleries of lesser-known, moreover 'photographed' in one of the most important decades in Scotch history, the 1970s. 

This Port Ellen was distilled in 1978 and bottled in October 1998 at the full degree of 60.9°. Port Ellen is the lost jewel of Islay: in fact, the distillery was closed by Diageo in 1983 due to excessive production of peaty whiskies for blending and the (mistaken, in retrospect) assessment that there was a lack of interest in this whisky as a single malt. After years of worship, Port Ellen has been entirely rebuilt and will officially begin distilling again 40 years after closure in 2023.