Port Ellen and Brora to be re-opened
Diageo reveils £35 mio investment plans
The re-activation of the two closed distilleries Port Ellen and Brora is a longing dream of many whisky fans. Now this dreams of re-opening seems to come true: spirits company Diageo, owner of the two distilleries and labels made an announcement on its homepage to invest £35 mio in the future of Port Ellen and Brora.
Two single malts with lightly smoky character
For 34 years now Port Ellen and Brora have been closed and the few remaining bottles and special releases from time to time reach high prices. Not least this big interest in those labels has moved Diageo to think about the re-opening of the distilleries and now the conclusion was drawn that it is time to give new life to Port Ellen and Brora. The plan is to fully imitate the origin character of the whiskies as far as it is possible. This is no easy task because the distilleries have to be refurnished completely. Port Ellen and Brora had both produced a whisky with a slightly smoky taste and this will be copied.
Port Ellen and Brora to start producing in 2020
Compared with most of the other distilleries of Diageo Port Ellen on the Isle of Islay and Brora in Sutherland will only produce a small amount of alcohol. The article on Diageo’s homepage (you can read it here) mentions a capacity of 800.000 liters. The filling and storing of the casks will also happen on the distillery’s sites so that buildings will be converted or newly erected as warehouses. It will take about three years until plans and designs are ready and approved and the distilleries constructed and furnished. According to Diageo the whisky production at Port Ellen and Brora will start at 2020.
