After popping up to Portintruan yesterday [WLP],
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,… today I thought I’d poke my head inside Islay’s rum distillery [FB].
Bought as a derelict wreck in 2017, the former lemonade factory opened as a rum distillery in January 2022. The distillery has been granted ‘special permission’ to open to visitors during Feis Ile only, so I was lucky to enjoy an informal tour of the distillery and an impromptu chat with Company Secretary, Caroline James. She tells me the distillery’s first inaugural release arrived just in time – two days before Feis Ile began.
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According to The Spirits Business:
‘Islay Spirits, a subsidiary of the Vintage Malt Whisky Company, has entered into a joint venture with The High Road Rum Company to open the new distillery in the former Hastie’s Lemonade Factory and Dunn’s Depot in Port Ellen. The project received planning permission in January 2020‘.
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Established in 1992, independent bottler Vintage Malt Whisky Company [VMWC] possesses in its portfolio, brand names such as The Ileach, Finlaggan, and Islay Storm. Under their Cooper’s Choice moniker, VMWC has released a large volume of single cask single malt [& grain] expressions, one of which I recently enjoyed in the form of a young Ben Nevis [WLP]. Whilst the team at the VMWC continue to concentrate on branding, marketing, and sales, Ben Inglis – “passionate rum geek” – runs the distillery.
Ben’s rum is currently made from treacle using 6 fermenters [6-7 days fermentation] that create a sugar beer at around 8% which is distilled in one pot and two retorts [see pic]. I’d bring you a tasting review, but aside from cocktails, there was nothing forthcoming.
Further reading:
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With the Islay Rum Distillery situated bang opposite Port Ellen Maltings [see pic below], I took a stroll down past the maltings [WLP] and round the back to the old distillery – a one-minute walk away.
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I didn’t expect to see much as I hadn’t heard any rumblings since Diageo’s announcement in 2017 of the distillery’s re-opening, along with Brora. Not much was going on when I last visited in 2019:
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At the time, I wrote “,… it would seem the sun hasn’t set on Port Ellen just yet, though plans to [re-]open by 2020 seem rather optimistic’. [WLP]
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Since 2019, however, there have been significant developments:
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From the west side:
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On August 25th 2022 [2:21.50], Roy of Aqvavitae fame posed this question (answer below):
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A close-up [as close as we mere mortals are allowed] of those stills:
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Having missed Lagavulin, Bruichladdich, and Caol Ila’s open days, I shall be attending Laphroaig’s event tomorrow – a Feis Ile highlight. All that’s left to do this evening is sit on the beach with a dram and watch the world go by:
Quiz answer:
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