Scotland’s newest whisky distillery, Port Ellen, on Islay, officially opened its doors today.
It is the result of a multi-million-pound investment by drink giant Diageo.
And it is the final piece of the jigsaw in a £185m spend by the company to boost whisky output and visitor revenue.
Part of the overall investment was used for reopening Brora Distillery, in Sutherland, one of more than 40 long-abandoned “ghost” whisky production sites around Scotland.
Cash has also been invested in Diageo’s Scotch whisky visitor “experiences”.
Port Ellen’s ‘trailblazing’ rebirth
Port Ellen was also a “ghost” distillery, having been mothballed in 1983. Its old single malts rapidly became collectors’ items.
Diageo unveiled plans to reopen it on the iconic whisky island more than six years ago.
Toasting the rebirth of “perhaps the most legendary of all the so-called ‘ghost’ distilleries”, the firm said it would be a “trailblazing light” for the industry’s future.
Ewan Andrew, president of global supply chain and procurement, and chief sustainability officer, Diageo, described it as a “landmark moment” for Scotch whisky.
He added: “Port Ellen is rooted in the land and the people of Islay.
“It is a name that resonates around the world as a watchword for quality single malt Scotch whisky.”
Port Ellen will be defined as a distillery that will push boundaries.”
Aimee Morrison, master blender
Port Ellen still boasts a heritage of leading innovation and experimentation but can also be “a trailblazing new light in the firmament of the Scotch whisky universe”, Mr Andrew said.
Master blender Aimee Morrison said: “Port Ellen will be defined as a distillery that will push boundaries, with our on-site laboratory giving us the opportunity to delve into scientific research, offering us a deeper look into this Islay malt.
“We will better understand how the nuanced flavours from cask-to-cask shine in different ways; with the rolling smoke weaving its way through the heart of Port Ellen.”
Ali McDonald was appointed manager for the site in 2022 and is now master distiller.
“Port Ellen holds a very special place in the hearts of passionate whisky aficionados,” Mr Macdonald said.
He added: “To see spirit flow off these stills once again is an incredible moment for the Islay community and wider whisky world. I’m excited to see what we can now create.”
The modern new building features an unobstructed line of sight through the glass stillhouse to the coastline of Islay, and across the bay to Carraig Fhada lighthouse.
At its heart are two pairs of copper stills. The first of these, the Phoenix stills, are exact replicas of those used to make Port Ellen whisky last time around.
Diageo said the distillery’s two experimental stills would take the art and science of exploration to “levels of precision never before seen in Scotch whisky distillation”.
The distillery has its own laboratory and a full-time technician to analyse and catalogue the new experimental whiskies that are expected to emerge.
Diageo said Port Ellen would be “carbon neutral from the start”.
Every part of the distillation process will be optimised so that water and heat are both recycled, and all energy produced by a renewable-biofuel boiler.
Meanwhile, Diageo has released a new whisky set, comprising 44-year-old Port Ellen Gemini, in twin crystal decanters to celebrate the reopening.
Visitor experiences at the reborn distillery range from a full-day private immersion for connoisseurs to shorter introductions to the production process.
Port Ellen will also open its doors on the first Saturday of every month for anyone on Islay to visit and witness the whisky being made again.
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