See inside this 'ghost' whisky distillery in Scotland that's back from the dead

The distillery was established in 1825 and operated until 1983. Since then, it's been a "ghost" distillery, which refers to a distillery that has closed but still has stock available.

The limited stock means that it's an expensive product; prices can stretch up to £45,000 ($56,000) for a set of two bottles.

The distillery is clearly made to appeal to a premium customer. Diageo commissioned artist Harry Morgan to design plinths to showcase its whisky in the warehouse. Visitors can even take a mini version of these plinths home with them as a memento for their coffee table if they have £3,900 ($4,800) to spare.

Diageo told Business Insider that it bought this whisky back on the secondary market. The company didn't comment on how much it paid to get the bottle back, but its value on the secondary market was lower than usual as it has a sip taken out of it — which the company says could have been from Queen Elizabeth II herself.

The bottle pictured is actually a replica, the real one is too valuable to be displayed, the company said.

It's a pricer trip than other distilleries on the island, like Diageo's Lagavulin, which charges just £22 ($27) for their classic tours, with their most expensive tour priced at £105 ($130).

For these customers, "It's not enough to just say this is 45-year-old Port Ellen cask. They want to say they journeyed to Scotland, tested all these different whiskies, and to tell you about the experiences they had," said Ewan Andrew, Diageo President of Global Supply Chain & Procurement.

Visitors on the Atlas of Smoke tour will also get a chance to draw directly from one of these casks.

These "Phoenix" Stills are precise replicas of the original Port Ellen stills and are used to recreate the classic taste.

The new experimental stills will allow distillers to change the depth and smokiness of the liquid depending on private clients' tastes.

The whisky is known by whisky fans, but the company wants to increase awareness to new people.

But they're not worried about the price dipping with the new supply. The minimum age for Scotch whisky is three years old, Andrew told BI, and it takes even longer for the more mature flavors.

'"It's gonna be a long time before you see anything in a bottle from this distillery," said Ewan Gunn, Diageo Global Brand Ambassador for Scotch.

"It's never something we've actively put money behind marketing, it's really just been word of mouth. It's the community that's elevated it to the position of being so highly regarded," said Gunn.

Visitors can't take any photos of the tasting room, and the company won't release any photos either.

Iain "Pinky" McArthur, a former employee at Port Ellen and Lagavulin, was a local whisky legend on Islay. He and his former colleagues all admitted that his tours were the most sought-after by visitors.

He eagerly recounted tales of the past when delivery drivers would show up at the distillery at 5 a.m. to pick up the whisky, and they'd both enjoy a glass on the job.

"We're not allowed to do stuff like that anymore — health and safety," he joked.

When he retired in December, his colleagues pitched in to get him a gift worthy of his 53 years of service: a bull for his farm.

The Isle of Islay naturally has the vital ingredients for single malt scotch whisky: barley, peat, and plenty of water. The peat on the island gives the whisky its signature smokiness.

The natural resources and community involvement have meant that whisky has been and remains, part of the fabric of Islay.