The white-washed brick walls of Port Ellen distillery are an iconic beacon for visitors arriving on Islay’s shores. For four decades the distillery has lain silent, its buildings crumbling as its coastal warehouses become nothing more than home to a few slowly maturing casks. Until now.
While it was sleeping, the last remaining drops of Port Ellen’s whisky became more and more scarce, fetching hundreds and then thousands of pounds as single malt lovers chased down each rare bottle.
Now, with the culmination of Diageo’s epic £185 million investment in Scotch whisky distilleries and experiences, Port Ellen distillery has awoken – 40 years since its closure its recognisable smoky, oily spirit flows through its stills once more. Except Port Ellen is not quite the same.
The team behind its multi-million-pound renovation describe it as a ‘radical transformation’ that draws on the distillery’s ‘pioneering heritage to lead a trailblazing future’. While Port Ellen distillery will still produce that smoky, oily and inherently fruity single malt, the historic site will now also be a temple of experimentation where art and science collide.
Having closed in 1983 when a downturn in the whisky market led to an oversupply of Scotch – now infamously known as the ‘whisky loch’ – none of the original equipment remains.
Diageo has instead used blueprints to meticulously craft exact replicas of Port Ellen’s last stills – aptly named the Phoenix Stills – alongside a smaller experimental pair. Here, the focus will be on charting an ‘Atlas of Smoke’, an artistic, digital visualisation of Port Ellen spirit’s chemical composition as it changes and adapts throughout its various experiments. That includes trialling different yeast strains, barley varieties, peating levels and, most excitingly, the industry’s first 10-part spirit safe, an Octopus-like innovation that allows multiple narrow cuts to be taken from the heart of the spirit, precisely separating out more flavours and characters than any safe in history.
Port Ellen holds a very special place in the hearts of passionate whisky aficionados, and to see spirit flow off these stills once again is an incredible moment for the Islay community and wider whisky world
‘In the fullness of time, our experimental stills allow us to understand which areas of Port Ellen’s spirit will be interesting for us to delve into,’ says Aimée Morrison, master blender for Port Ellen. ‘It’s the possibility of exploration that’s interesting at this stage because we are hoping to push the boundaries of smoky whiskies and explore the intricacies of flavour in whisky making.’
Testing of Port Ellen’s new make will take place in the on-site laboratory, reducing the impact of shipping samples back to the mainland. As with any new distillery, sustainability is built into the heart of Port Ellen, in fact it will be carbon neutral from the start, utilising renewable energy sources and optimising water and heat recycling.
Ali McDonald, master distiller at Port Ellen, says: ‘Port Ellen holds a very special place in the hearts of passionate whisky aficionados, and to see spirit flow off these stills once again is an incredible moment for the Islay community and wider whisky world.’
In what feels more like a postmodern design museum than a 19th century island distillery, the visitor experience is an artwork in itself, featuring clean, modern architecture with nods to Scandinavian and Japanese design trends.
While the majority of the original buildings had to be removed entirely, just one remains – the former kiln, which has been stylishly transformed into a futuristic, multimedia tasting experience and sample library beneath the distillery’s iconic pagoda roof.
To celebrate the reopening, Diageo has released Port Ellen Gemini, a twin set of 44-year-old single malts distilled in 1978 – the distillery’s oldest expression to date. Just 274 sets of Port Ellen Gemini have been created from a single parcel of stock, which has been split and finished separately in another European oak hogshead (Gemini Original) and an oloroso Sherry-seasoned cask (Gemini Remnant). Each set is available for a cool £45,000.
Fans excited to immerse themselves in Islay Scotch history will be able to visit the distillery from June, when Port Ellen distillery will offer three types of experience. The Port Ellen Open Days will be held monthly on the first Saturday of each month and are a free opportunity to tour the distillery and meet the production team.
For those after a more in-depth experience, Port Ellen Reborn is a 90-minute tour for up to 12 guests, which includes the opportunity to taste whisky samples, nose the experimental new make and draw liquid from historic casks. The tour is available to book online for £200 per person.
It’s the possibility of exploration that’s interesting at this stage because we are hoping to push the boundaries of smoky whiskies and explore the intricacies of flavour in whisky making
Finally, the Atlas of Smoke experience is a full immersion into the distillery’s new experimental world, with a personalised private tour, a tasting of Port Ellen Gemini, a fully catered lunch and all the trimmings provided on the Reborn tour. As you’d imagine, it’s only bookable upon request through the Diageo Private Client team. Each minute detail of the visitor experience has been carefully considered, from a ceremonial tea service to new-make nosing, ensuring there is something for everyone on each tour.
Even in its silent state, Port Ellen distillery has been a place of pilgrimage for Islay whisky lovers for many years, except now there’s more here than a rocky windswept beach and the memory of whisky’s past. So much more.
Find out more about visiting the relaunched Port Ellen distillery and its visitor experiences at www.malts.com/en-gb/distilleries/port-ellen. To enquire about Port Ellen Gemini releases, visit www.diageorareandexceptional.com.
