NEWS
DIAGEO REOPENED GHOST SCOTCH DISTILLERY PORT ELLEN ON ISLAND OF ISLAY
By Siulan Law Mathews DipWSET
21-3-2024
Source: Diageo
Global drinks giant Diageo has announced that Port Ellen Distillery on the island of Islay in Scotland has reopened more than 40 years after its doors were closed.
The ghost distillery has been redesigned with innovation, experimentation and sustainability at its centre, with a pair of experimental stills operating alongside the Phoenix Stills, a pair of replicas of the original Port Ellen stills.
The company has invested £185 million (USD235m) in reviving Port Ellen as well as other famous ghost distillery in Scotland including Brora Distillery.
To celebrate Port Ellen’s reopening, the distillery has released Port Ellen Gemini, twin 44 Year Old Scotch whiskies, drawn from three 1978 European oak casks.
Source: Diageo
The distillery’s master distiller Ali McDonald said: “It is an honour to take up this new position at the helm of an iconic distillery and build on Port Ellen’s pioneering past.”
“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. We are deeply committed to pushing the boundaries of Scotch through experimentation. I’m excited to see what we can now create,” he added.
Diageo president of global supply chain & procurement Ewan Andrew said: “This is a landmark moment for Diageo and for Scotch whisky.”
“Port Ellen is rooted in the land and the people of Islay, yet it is a name that resonates around the world as a watchword for quality single malt Scotch whisky,” added Andrew.
(the writer can be contacted at: info@thewinechronicle.com)
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