Port Ellen: The Resurrection of a Legendary Whisky Distillery

The whisky world is abuzz with the news of Port Ellen’s grand reopening after 41 years of silence. This iconic Islay distillery, once a workhorse producer of smoky whisky for blending, has been resurrected in a bold new avatar. The brand’s revival is part of Diageo’s £185 million investment in Scotch distilleries and experiences, which also saw the reopening of Brora distillery in 2021.

A glimpse into the modern, futuristic design of the new Port Ellen distillery

The new Port Ellen is a far cry from its original Victorian-era incarnation. The gleaming glass stillhouse, with its sweeping views of Islay’s stunning south coast, is a testament to innovative design. The distillery’s radical reimagining is built with experimentation and innovation in mind, featuring a retractable stillhouse roof for efficient maintenance and repairs. The entire facility is designed to be carbon neutral, with energy drawn from renewable sources and an on-site laboratory to reduce the environmental impact of shipping samples.

The Phoenix stills, meticulously replicated from archival plans, will produce the distillery’s new spirit. A set of smaller stills will be dedicated to experimental expressions, allowing the distillery to chart an “Atlas of Smoke” and explore the many facets of its characteristically smoky flavor profile.

“Port Ellen will be defined as a distillery that will push boundaries. Each element of the production process allows us to innovate from day one. With an on-site laboratory, we can delve into scientific research to examine the possibilities of this legendary Islay malt.” - Master Blender Aimée Morrison

Paying Homage to Heritage

Port Ellen is the first to export whisky to North America as early as 1848, carrying on its pioneering heritage at the new facility. Legend has it that it was the first distillery in Scotland to house a “spirit safe,” a glass and metal device used to analyze the distillate as it leaves the still.

The groundbreaking Ten Part Spirit Safe will allow distillers to “divide the run into 10 parts, allowing them to take multiple cuts from the heart of the run, accessing previously unexplored flavors and characters, and taking the whisky-making art to new levels of intricacy and complexity.”

A glimpse into the innovative Ten Part Spirit Safe

Whisky enthusiasts will be able to witness the precise mechanics in person and meet the team with monthly open days and guided tours through the distillery from June 2024 onwards. Those on The Atlas of Smoke private tour, bookable via the Diageo Private Client team, will also get the rare opportunity to taste the twin 44-year-old Port Ellen Gemini expressions.

Created to mark the distillery’s reopening, they are the oldest-ever single malts released directly from Port Ellen. With only 274 sets available worldwide at £45,000, the Gemini is also one of the distillery’s rarest releases.