Port Ellen Distillery: History, Owner and Visitor Guide
Updated: 7 hours ago
Port Ellen Distillery stands in the village of Port Ellen on the Isle of Islay. For four decades it was one of Scotland's best known ghost distilleries. It reopened in 2024. This guide covers where it is, its history, its owner and how to visit.
In this guide
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Port Ellen at a glance
Distillery fact | Verified detail |
|---|---|
Region | Islay, Scotland |
Ownership | Diageo |
History | Origin dates to 1825; reopened 2024 |
Whisky and production | Historic malt stock and modern distilling must be distinguished |
Named expressions | Port Ellen 200th Anniversary Edition |
Visits | Verify public access, current tours and opening times with the distillery before travelling. |
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Where is Port Ellen Distillery?
The distillery is in Port Ellen on the south of Islay, near the island's main ferry terminal. Its address is Kiln Square, Port Ellen, Isle of Islay, PA42 7AF.
Port Ellen history: 1825 to today
Wikipedia says Port Ellen was established as a malt mill in 1825 and developed as a distillery under John Ramsay from 1833 to 1892. The warehouses he built still exist and are listed buildings.
The Distillers Company bought it in 1925. It was closed in 1930 and rebuilt in 1966 and 1967. It ran through the 1970s and closed in 1983. When it closed the company knocked down some buildings, repurposed others and destroyed the stills. The site kept a maltings, which went on supplying Islay distilleries under an agreement signed in 1987.
On 9 October 2017 Diageo announced the distillery would reopen, alongside Brora. In May 2019 it submitted plans to revive the site and build a new stillhouse. Diageo said it recreated the stills as closely as possible using factory records from the 1980s, with help from former Port Ellen staff.
The distillery reopened on 19 March 2024. Wikipedia reports the revival cost 185 million pounds in the end. In September 2025 the Port Ellen 200th Anniversary Edition was announced, limited to 150 units at 7,500 pounds a bottle.
In 2022 a rare 1979 cask of Port Ellen was sold at Sotheby's as part of a lot with an artwork, for 875,000 pounds.
Who owns Port Ellen Distillery?
Port Ellen is owned by Diageo, the successor to The Distillers Company.
Can you visit Port Ellen Distillery?
Yes, by appointment only. Diageo's Malts site says walk-ins cannot be accommodated, advance booking is needed and under 18s must be with an adult. Listed experiences at the time of writing:
Port Ellen Reborn: 1.5 hours, from 250 pounds per person
200th Anniversary Experience: 2.5 hours, from 450 pounds per person
Atlas of Smoke Experience: 4 hours, from 900 pounds per person
Port Ellen Open Days: 1 hour
Prices were read on 20 October 2026 and can change. The visits email is portellen.distillery@diageo.com.
Port Ellen Distillery FAQ
When did Port Ellen reopen? On 19 March 2024, 40 years after it closed.
Why are old Port Ellen bottles collectable? The distillery closed in 1983 and remaining stocks dwindled, so older bottlings became collector's items.
Does Port Ellen still make malt for other distilleries? The site housed a maltings that supplied Islay distilleries under a 1987 agreement. Check its current status before relying on this.
Origins on the south coast of Islay
The Single Cask's October 2026 guide says a malt mill stood on the Port Ellen site from 1825. John Ramsay built it into a distillery and ran it from 1833 until his death in 1892. The warehouses he put up still stand and are listed buildings. The Distillers Company Limited bought the site in 1925.
Timeline
1825: malt mill on the site.
1833: John Ramsay begins running the distillery.
1925: the Distillers Company Limited buys it.
1929 to 1930: production stops as Prohibition in the United States hits demand, then the distillery is mothballed.
1967: rebuilt and back in production.
1983: mothballed again, officially shut in 1987.
October 2017: Diageo announces plans to reopen it.
19 March 2024: distilling restarts, in a project the guide reports at around 185 million pounds.
The rebuilt distillery
Two wash stills and two spirit stills, recreated from 1980s factory records as close copies of the originals, plus a pair of small experimental stills.
Water from the Leorin Lochs above the town.
Heavily peated malt, using peat cut from Duich Moss on Islay.
Historic cask policy of roughly 80 percent ex-bourbon and 20 percent ex-sherry.
Port Ellen Maltings
The guide notes that Port Ellen Maltings, on the same site, never closed. It describes it as the only commercial maltings left on Scotland's west coast and the only one still using peat in its kilns, supplying peated and unpeated malt to most Islay distilleries.
Rare releases
The guide reports a single 1979 cask sold at Sotheby's in 2022 for 875,000 pounds, and a 200th Anniversary Edition announced in 2025 of 150 bottles at 7,500 pounds each.
Visiting
The guide lists a free monthly Open Day and paid tours including Port Ellen Reborn, plus an invite-only Atlas of Smoke experience. Check Diageo for current dates and prices.
Sources and gaps
Further sources checked 20 October 2026: The Single Cask guide 'Port Ellen Distillery: Islay's Most Expensive Comeback' (9 October 2026). Gaps: Diageo's own site was not read, so tour prices, hours and current releases are unconfirmed. The 185 million pound cost is as reported by the guide. The guide's 2017 reopening investment figure of 35 million pounds also covered Brora.
Diageo Malts: malts.com/en-gb/distilleries/port-ellen (read 20 October 2026): address, reopening date, visits, tour list and prices
Wikipedia, Port Ellen distillery (read 20 October 2026): timeline, 2017 announcement, 185 million pound cost, 2022 Sotheby's sale, 2025 anniversary edition
Gaps to fill before publishing: new still sizes and number, capacity, the current core range and ABVs, and whether the maltings still supplies Islay
What makes Port Ellen distinctive?
Historic malt stock and modern distilling must be distinguished
Port Ellen whisky bottle and expression comparison
Historic Port Ellen stock pre-dates the 1983 closure. The distillery reopened in 2024, so older age-statement whiskies cannot be drawn from new production.
Rare, limited and historic whisky releases
Documented special releases and older editions can sell out. They are included for education rather than as live stock claims.
Bottle / expression | Age | ABV | Cask maturation and context |
|---|---|---|---|
Port Ellen 200th Anniversary Edition | Not age-stated / edition varies | Check bottle | Special commemorative malt bottling |
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Frequently asked questions about Port Ellen
Where is Port Ellen based?
The distillery is in Port Ellen on the south of Islay, near the island's main ferry terminal. Its address is Kiln Square, Port Ellen, Isle of Islay, PA42 7AF.
Who owns Port Ellen?
Diageo
What is an important date in Port Ellen's history?
Origin dates to 1825; reopened 2024
Which whiskies are associated with Port Ellen?
Port Ellen 200th Anniversary Edition. Release status changes.
Can you visit Port Ellen?
Confirm tour availability, visitor rules and hours with the distillery; production-only sites may not offer public visits.
Sources and editorial checks
Original historical research and source notes are preserved in this guide. Producer details, distillery access and releases may change.
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About the author
 | Filip Janczak Storyteller, drinker and explorer of all things whisky. Read more about the person behind Whisky Clan and explore additional reviews and distillery guides. |
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