Port Ellen
As part of our second event, we are pleased to include a whisky that includes Port Ellen in its DNA. The history of Diageo's Islay distillery, once lost, is examined in this article, along with the new chapter that is now unfolding as the distillery is revived to embrace a new future and capitalise on its illustrious name.
The distillery, or an initial form as a malt mill, was founded in 1824. Islay, being off the mainland of Scotland, this was a hotbed of illegal distilling. Many distilleries that we recognise today once had their origins in illicit operations, as locals knew the best spots for setting up a distillery. In fact, historical records show between 1837 and 1844, Excisemen based in Port Ellen found and took possession of five illegal stills and all manner of illicit distilling equipment and whisky.
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Port Ellen was founded by Alexander Kerr Mackay & Company with assistance from the clan chief, Laird Campbell, on the Kildaton coastline. It takes more than just ambition to succeed in the Scotch industry, and those who underestimate the challenges are doomed to fail. New distillery owners failed to accurately estimate the cost of building and operating a new distillery, leading to bankruptcy shortly thereafter. Within months, Alexander Mackay experienced such an outcome, before his family also tried and failed, partially due to the then distillery manager, John Morrison, who continued in the role until 1833.
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In 1840, John Ramsay took over as a tenant, having recognised its potential and subsequently won favour with the laird of the area (Walker Frederick Campbell), who exercised his right when the distillery and associated leases went up for auction at a cost of £1950. Ramsay, with his experience in Glasgow's thriving spirit merchant industry, where the firm primarily imported sherry and wine for the domestic market, was able to convince the Laird of Islay with his prior efforts, that the project was indeed viable with his involvement. Originally being sent to Islay by his uncle Ebenezer Ramsay, Procurator Fiscal of Clackmannanshire, to gauge the distillery in the early 1830s. He recognised the opportunities presented by the 1823 Excise Act. This act sparked a new wave of distilleries, encouraging former illegal distillers to become legitimate, and ultimately, his debt to the laird was repaid in good time.
Lost to time
Port Ellen played a pivotal role in the development of the spirit safe thanks to John Ramsay, which is now a fundamental component of any distillery, hosting the first working example.
The construction of a pier in 1826 was a significant milestone, providing a faster route to market for the distillery. Over time, Port Ellen grew to become Islay's most accessible port, with the pier expanding in 1881 to accommodate this growth. With the involvement of his business partner, Laird Campbell, the major land owner, they started the bi-weekly steamer to Glasgow. An iconic transport route that also helped move casks of Port Ellen into the hands of eager blenders.
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John Ramsay is one of several influential figures in the development of the Scotch whisky industry who have been somewhat lost to time and he had a huge impact on Islay in general. He is widely regarded as a pioneer in establishing America as a market for whisky exports and had a strong upbringing in whisky, having trained as a distillery in Alloa. He used his influence in high society to persuade the British government to allow the creation of bonded warehouses, another feature we now take for granted. His forward thinking also facilitated the development of the Patent Still design as we know it today, with Port Ellen being used by Aeneas Coffey and Robert Stein to help shape its development.
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Records show that in 1831, improvements and additions at the distillery were approved at a cost of the considerable sum of £300, and a second duty free warehouse was added in 1839. In April 1848 a serving Exciseman at Port Ellen suffered terrible injuries when he fell into the spent wash tank and was badly burned. Such injuries and events underline how dangerous an environment a working distillery could be. By the 1860s, the distillery was producing around 115,000 gallons annually and beginning to overshadow other Islay distilleries.
In 1869, W.P. Lowrie, a broker and blender from Glasgow, recognised the unique qualities of Port Ellen whisky and its potential for blending.
He became an agent for Port Ellen and later a business partner of James Buchanan, with Lowrie supplying much of the whisky Buchanan needed for his highly successful blends. The Lowrie firm were the first, or one of the first, to demonstrate the art of blending. William Lowrie had an insider's knowledge of Port Ellen, having previously been the distillery manager of Port Ellen.
The distillery has a rich history of family ownership and it must be mentioned a complicated web, as you have to consider the land owners as well as the licensed distillers. After John's death in 1892, his widow took over and managed the distillery until her passing. Ownership then passed to their son, Captain Iain Ramsay of Kildalton. The then economic challenges faced by distilleries across Scotland in the early 1900s, particularly those with a rugged and heavily peated style were sizeable. Campbeltown was hit hard by many closures and a shift in consumer tastes. Faced with various challenges to Port Ellen, including increasing taxes, providing employment opportunities to local families and the impact of the First World War, Captain Ramsay sold the distillery in 1920. One of Port Ellen’s darkest days occurred on 5th February 1918 when the SS Tuscania was torpedoed by a German UB-77 and the floor maltings were utilised as a mortuary, with the loss of 210 lives.
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The Port Ellen Distillery Company, founded by the blending family giants of Dewar and Buchanan, recognised the quality of the peated whisky produced at Port Ellen. The Distillers Company Limited (which is now known as Diageo) acquired the Dewar and Buchanan blending operations in 1925, including Port Ellen itself. In 1930, the distillery and many others were transferred to the subsidiary, Scottish Malt Distillers (S.M.D.). Despite the ongoing maltings, Port Ellen remained with S.M.D. even during its partial demolition and closure.
A revival
Tantalisingly, James Eadie's recent publication of The Distilleries of Great Britain and Ireland, offered a synopsis of the distillery, probably after a visit sometime in 1923, but most of the original record has been lost. Only an introduction and a picture survive, so the hunt is on for a full version of the January 1924 edition.
What we do know is that the unknown author highlights the 'immense warehouses', 'comfortable workers' houses' and the 45-acre site. We are fortunate that Alfred Barnard’s earlier visit, in 1886 or 1887 still exists, although he is clearly less impressed by the distillery. Offering a fairly rudimentary retort of the distillery, clearly showing his preference for Islay’s better known names to receive his attention.
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Port Ellen's history may surprise some, as it has been relatively inactive throughout its existence. Despite being acquired in 1930, it was mainly used for warehousing for other Islay distilleries and for the aforementioned maltings. However, these practical uses helped to preserve the site. It was said at the time that the warehouses had enough maturing casks for 40 years and that turned out to almost be the case. The distillery remained closed until 1965, when the demand for peated whisky for blending prompted an 18-month refurbishment of the production areas at a cost of £400,000. In April 1967, Port Ellen distillery resumed operations with the introduction of four new mechanically stoked coal-fired stills to replace the original ones. From that point on, its whisky was exclusively licensed to Low Robertson & Co. of Edinburgh. This led to the creation and release of Old Guns, a blended whisky with a high malt content ratio of Port Ellen, specifically for the Italian market.
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Low & Robertson was one of a number of companies acquired by D.C.L. in 1937 when it bought out its parent company, Booth's Distilleries Limited, mainly for its gin business. Based in Leith, Edinburgh, Low & Robertson's heritage dates back to 1812, although it is best known for its association with Port Ellen. Other brands it has used over the years include Grey Label, Loretto and Ben Cally, but Old Guns remains its most illustrious and memorable.
Old Guns
The essence of Port Ellen
The still heating system was changed from coal reliance to steam coil heating just three years after its installation in 1970. In 1973, the maltings underwent further investment and were revamped with the installation of new germination drum maltings, each capable of handling 48 tonnes after the barley has been steeped. Consequently, the site now boasts a total of seven drums and it was joked when they all ran, electricity on Islay became limited.
In 1983, when cutbacks affected distilleries in Scotland, Port Ellen was not spared, even with the tow experiencing a then unemployment rate of around 20%. Having invested heavily in Caol Ia, Port Ellen was always at risk. Distillery workers bore the brunt of the cutbacks and also supporting businesses including haulage and retailers. The production buildings and the stills were unfortunately demolished, with the largest of the pagodas only recently being taken down in 2003. However, the iconic warehouses were preserved, and the maltings survived as a vital facility on Islay, providing malt to the island. In 1987, all Islay distilleries outside of Diageo agreed to use the Port Ellen maltings (known as the Concordat) instead of those on the mainland, ensuring local employment. This decision allowed Port Ellen to survive, albeit in a rather fractured and incomplete form. It also brought added complexity for the maltings themselves, as the agreed included supporting the specific malting demands of the Islay distilleries. The maltings operated continuously and the warehousing was utilised by distilleries such as Bunnahabhain. For many years, visitors to Islay have gazed upon these remnants of the distillery and pondered 'what if', often visiting the beach below and raise a dram to honour a fallen comrade.
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A whisky boom occurred, and Diageo's annual Special Releases from Port Ellen received continuous widespread acclaim. This was due to a fortunate accident, as casks were not watered down prior to filling during cutbacks, which unlocked new characteristics from the cask as the high-strength spirit and compounds unlocked mixed, making it suitable for long-term maturation. Ultimately, this approach resulted in a more refined liquid that has been brought into the modern era and is highly sought after by enthusiasts.
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Port Ellen's inconsistent identity is potentially a thing of the past. Independent bottlers have released heavily peated whiskies from Port Ellen over the decades, and while prices were more reasonable, some were captivating while others were mediocre or disappointing. The Italian export Old Guns that we are pouring is a testament to the character and foundation that Port Ellen brings to blenders. Despite being mostly used for blending, the rugged qualities of Port Ellen were always present and now, with its increased status, they can be fully appreciated. In the 1970s, the distillery's production was primarily used for blending purposes. Consequently, cask sales to independent bottlers became a common practice, as was the case for other distilleries owned by the Distillers Company Limited. Independent bottlers provided an outlet for the surplus stock, which is why we now see numerous single cask releases for Port Ellen, Glen Mhor, and other discontinued distilleries.
One Vision
As Port Ellen's reputation grew after its closure, it became clear to Diageo that their portfolio of distilleries was missing a blue-chip iconic distillery. Despite Mortlach being a prime candidate for such status, it failed to achieve it after an ill-advised brand revamp.
This prompted consideration of previously unthinkable options, such as the 1980s closures that the company still fully retained or had an interest in. The Port Ellen site was used for other whisky-related purposes, while Rosebank remained inactive and Brora was left alone across the road from Clynelish. However, the increased demand for these distilleries presented an opportunity to revive a lost distillery. Therefore, it was not surprising when the news was revealed in 2017. Since then, Rosebank was sold and has since resumed production under new ownership. Brora has been distilling for a couple of years now, while Port Ellen, required a new build.
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Brora and Port Ellen's revival plans have been delivered by Diageo with confidence and no expense spared. The distilleries offer a VIP experience with luxurious intentions, and the cost will reflect the quality of the product. However, the question remains: are these revivals true to their origins or a new take on a famous name? Brora has more validity than Port Ellen as the stills and much of the production equipment were left on site. Diageo affirms that the new vision for Port Ellen represents a step forward rather than a recreation:
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‘Drawing on Port Ellen’s extraordinary heritage, the new distillery has been re-envisioned and designed from the ground up to push the boundaries of innovation, experimentation, and sustainability.’
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The return of Port Ellen is an exciting development, so let’s embrace a new style of Port Ellen in the near future.
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Images taken during our visit to Islay and seeing Port Ellen rebuilt.