There’s a lot of romance attached to the whisky business, and I’m not sure the events of last week will have done much to redress the balance between mythology and reality. I’m talking about the reopening of Diageo’s Port Ellen distillery on the isle of Islay, two centuries after it was originally built – and just over 40 years after Diageo precursor Distillers Company Ltd (DCL) closed it down (apparently) for good.
Rejoice as Diageo reopens Port Ellen but closures could soon haunt spirits industry
That Diageo has reopened Port Ellen is unquestionably good news but fragile demand for spirits could lead to other distilleries falling silent, writes Richard Woodard.