Elite Traveler Summer 2024

elite traveler SUMMER 2024 119

named as such because they were built to exact speci fi cations from original blueprints. Opposite, two smaller stills will conduct experiments. Port Ellen’s crown jewel is a unique 10-part spirit safe, allowing distillers to take speci fi c cuts at di ff erent points in distillation. The spirit’s character changes markedly from start to fi nish, and you can taste the di ff erence in nine types of spirit taken every 30 minutes across four-and-a-half hours. The new make (clear spirit that will eventually become whisky) starts with a super-sweet pear drop and moves towards full-blown smoky peat. Di ff erent cuts can then be combined, potentially making something new and exciting. Any successful experiment in the smaller stills can be replicated in their bigger brothers. Distillery manager Ali McDonald beams with delight as he explains the value of such an ability. As consumer tastes change, Port Ellen is capable of changing its pro fi le. If the market demands more smoke, Port Ellen can provide it. More fruit? No problem. For a distillery that has already had to make one comeback from condemnation, it’s a valuable insurance policy. by Alex Martin To arrange a private visit to Port Ellen, contact dre.scotland@diageo.com, diageorareandexceptional.com

This image Port Ellen Gemini Below The Whisky Orb in the private client entry

Left Port Ellen Distillery on Islay, the southernmost island of Scotland’s Inner Hebrides

Above The Bay Room at Port Ellen Distillery