Port Ellen Whisky Islay Distillery Revival Innovation Heritage Whisky Making Scotland

•30 May, 2024

The Phoenix Rises: Port Ellen Whisky Distillery Makes a Triumphant Return

Discover the revival of Port Ellen, the iconic whisky label that's making a comeback after 41 years. Explore the innovative distillery, its pioneering heritage, and the exclusive Gemini expressions.

Port Ellen: The Phoenix Rises

As I stepped into the newly refurbished Port Ellen distillery on the picturesque Islay island, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of excitement and nostalgia. The quintessential Scottish grey skies had given way to a brilliant blue, a perfect backdrop for the rebirth of this iconic whisky label. Emily Burnham, the brand home host, welcomed me with a warm smile, and I knew I was in for a treat.

A Brief History

Established in 1825, Port Ellen was primarily a workhorse producer, creating distinctive, smoky whisky for blending. However, after its closure in 1983, the expressions became highly sought after by aficionados and collectors, prompting owner Diageo to announce its revival in 2017.

The New Era

Unlike its counterpart, Brora, which retained its Victorian style, the new Port Ellen is a strikingly modern facility. The gleaming transparent glass stillhouse offers a breathtaking view of Islay’s stunning south coast, resembling an avant-garde art museum. Built from the ground up with innovation and experimentation in mind, this distillery is future-proofed to be adaptable and carbon neutral.

The towering Phoenix stills, meticulously replicated from archival plans, will produce the whisky house’s new spirit. A set of smaller, identical stills will be tasked with more 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.” - Aimée Morrison, Master Blender

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, accessing previously unexplored flavors and characters, and taking the whisky-making art to new levels of intricacy and complexity.” - Ali McDonald, Master Distiller

Experience the Revival

Whisky enthusiasts can 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, only 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.

The newly refurbished Port Ellen distillery

The iconic Port Ellen whisky