Interview with Jackie & Georgie
from Portintruan Distillery
Our in-progress Islay distillery, Portintruan, located just outside the town of Port Ellen on Islay’s south coast, first broke ground at the end of 2020. Portintruan, takes its name from the historic farm estate where the distillery is located and means ‘place of the stream’.
Portintruan distillery will be where the past meets the future, combining these old-style production techniques with modern technology to improve process and quality, and, of course, sustainability. Sustainability is a big factor in our plans for Portintruan. Working within what is currently possible on Islay, we aim to be as green and as responsible as we can. We are talking to the Islay Energy Trust, our fellow distillers on the island and suppliers to ensure we take all opportunities to be greener.
Works are well underway on the distillery site and we are very excited to continue our journey from bottler and blender towards distiller with Portintruan, where we anticipate to begin distilling in 2026, led by Distillery Manager, Georgie Crawford.
Jackie, welcome to the Portintruan team! Tell us a little about your role and what’s been going on so far.
JT: It’s been a baptism of fire – a real steep learning curve. What makes Portintruan unique is that the visitor has never been an afterthought here, hence my involvement now during the final building phase, not just when we open the doors. I hadn’t quite anticipated the engineering and construction vocabulary I’d be surrounded by, and I feel like a bit of a hunter-gatherer: absorbing the people, the culture, and the language of a new team and a new distillery.
Right now, my role is about shaping the journey through the distillery – whether visitors are here for whisky production, Islay’s history, good food, or a great dram. The team is genuinely passionate about producing flavoursome whisky, and my job is to make every visit as rich and memorable as the spirit itself. I’m determined to create experiences that leave lasting memories for everyone who comes through the door.
Georgie, this is all sounds really exciting. You’ve been part of the team for a few years now throughout the design and build. Can you give us an overview of what’s been happening over the last year or so now that the build is nearing completion?
GC: We are close to finishing the installation of the maltings and distillery… the big excitement of the year was watching the stills go into their final positions, as it really meant we could call the stillhouse an actual Stillhouse! I have to say if you’re a pipework geek then this is the place for you, we have miles and miles of the stuff, all beautifully installed. Most recently watching the 10 x 60 tonne capacity malt silos being erected for the Maltings really was amazing and a real credit to the engineers involved. It’s been an honour to oversee the complex design and installation that will ensure we can make the future flavour profiles needed in our maltings and distillery.
What are you most excited for in the future of Portintruan?
GC: There’ll be a lot of experimenting once we get to actually test the process with raw materials and create products and this will be the ultimate gift. We plan to craft four distinctly different and unique spirits, all clearly borne of Islay, therefore being given license to play with a range of malting techniques, mashing profiles, yeasts, fermentation times, alongside all the different variables we can do in distillation. It will be a true team effort to shape the future spirit of Portintruan.
JT: I love the ethos of placing the distillery at the heart of the community. That means not only sharing our passion for whisky and production, but also creating spaces where people – local and international alike – can meet, gather, and enjoy each other’s company. I love to watch people having a great time. So that's simple! I can’t wait to welcome whisky lovers from across the globe to this remarkable place. That exchange of stories, culture, and enthusiasm is what I love most.
Jackie, can you share anything about the visitor experience that you think will excite whisky lovers the most?
JT: Whisky lovers and locals have followed this distillery being built brick by brick, and the anticipation is palpable. From the outside, the design creates the impression of a cluster of beautiful old buildings nestled together – but stepping inside will be a jaw-dropping moment. I still get goosebumps as I walk through it.
The production itself offers plenty to excite: traditional floor maltings, direct-fired stills – a first for Islay – and a world-class whisky bar.
I could carry on but I don’t want to give too much away. Come visit next year for the real surprises!
Georgie, what impact do you think Portintruan will have on the whisky industry on Islay?
GC: We plan to celebrate everything Islay - that’s been the main driver for the build all along, our overarching love of Islay whisky. We also hope we can be a place that can be useful to the greater whisky community on Islay with our training rooms and facilities, which we plan to offer as a location to host training and education workshops for courses like the General Certificate in Distilling. The bar and restaurant will also be available to all for hosting tastings, dinners and events, with a great selection of Islay whiskies and produce. This is not just a distillery!
Finally, to you both… if you could bring anyone in the world to Islay to experience Portintruan, who would it be?
GC: I have been working for some time now alongside our founders Rajbir and Sukhinder. They are the people I am most excited about seeing the end product of all the hard work. The day when they stand shoulder to shoulder with the whole Elixir Distillers team and see the distillery come alive with production and people - stills going, visitors touring, tasting, eating and everyone appreciating what they have all had the vision to build - that’s the day I look forward to most.
JT: A cliché perhaps, but it would be my dad. He was my biggest cheerleader, and as an engineer, he would have adored every aspect of this build – poring over P&IDs, interrogating flanges and non-return valves. He’d also be proud to see me, at this stage in life, stepping out of my comfort zone, reconnecting with the spirit of whisky, and challenging myself. To share this place with him would mean everything.