Every day at the VinePair HQ is a good day, but when Diageo North America’s National Luxury Ambassador Ewan Morgan comes through with a $50,000 set of Islay single malts from 1978, that marks one for the books.
The liquid(s) in question are Port Ellen Gemini 1978 Limited Edition Twin Whiskies, released in March 2024. Hailing from Scotland, these single malts were born at Islay’s historic Port Ellen distillery, one that has carried an aura of mystique since its inception in 1824. Roughly 40 years ago, the distillery shut down due to a decreased demand for Scotch at the time, but now it’s up and running again. The twin whiskies in question here spent nearly 50 years aging in different ex-Oloroso Sherry casks — one of which was a remnant cask, which houses the ends of a distillery’s bottling runs before being emptied and reused. This year, the twin whiskies emerged brimming with character, and it’s safe to say that the in-barrel alchemy paid off.
In this video, Morgan and VinePair managing editor Tim McKirdy explore the story behind the duo before diving into a back-to-back tasting. It’s Port Ellen, some of the oldest spirits ever opened at the VinePair HQ, and plenty of “whisky moments.” Check out the video below.
