Die Feierlichkeiten und Aktivitäten seitens Diageo zum 200. Geburtstag der vor einem Jahr wiederbelebten Port Ellen Distillery gehen weiter: Nun hat man gemeinsam mit dem Glaskünstler Ini Archibong eine Skulptur für das Besucherzentrum fertigen lassen, mit dem bezeichnenden Namen The Atlas of Smoke.
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PORT ELLEN DISTILLERY UNVEILS A LANDMARK SCULPTURE TO CELEBRATE 200TH ANNIVERSARY
London, UK – Wednesday 3rd December 2025 – Port Ellen, the iconic reenvisioned Islay whisky distillery, marks its milestone 200th anniversary with the reveal of a striking new artwork that captures its pioneering and long-enduring spirit. Named afier the distillery’s trailblazing mission to discover and express the mysteries of the flavour of smoke in Scotch whisky, The Atlas of Smoke – an interpretation by Ini Archibong now stands in the heart of its Islay home and forms the centrepiece of a new guest experience.
Ini Archibong, renowned for his visionary work with glass, has crafied both the largest sculpture he has made, and the largest known single artwork from highly specialised Vitrucell glass, standing at 2.3 metres tall. Continuing his legacy of working with masters in their crafi, Archibong collaborated with historic glassmakers at Lhotsky Studio in the Czech Republic, whose works are represented in major national museums including The Met. No other manufacturers currently work with this material at this scale, making the piece an extraordinary technical and artistic achievement.
At once contemporary and timeless, The Atlas of Smoke – an interpretation by Ini Archibong, stands as a profound emblem of Port Ellen’s enduring spirit, a nod to its past and a totem to its future, a meeting of artistry and innovation, memory and renewal, crafismanship and the eternal mystery of smoke. Archibong applied the same slow, meticulous process used in Scotch Whisky to slowly melt and cool molten glass to create luminous amber bricks with a swirling smoke-like appearance which layers like the aromas and flavours of Port Ellen whisky.
The bronze plinth, inspired by the rugged contours of Islay, was crafied in France alongside contemporary bronze artist Yannick Székany and completed with a patina created using specialised finishing processes. By blending traditional crafismanship with contemporary artisanal methods, Archibong’s piece reveals unique textures and finishes that celebrate the passage of time and imperfect beauty.
Ini Archibong says:
“This piece is very important to me, not just because it’s the largest piece of glass I’ve ever made, but because when I can go to a place, meet the people, learn what they value and what’s special, and feel the connection they have to their soil and their community, translating that into an object is always meaningful. It’s rare that I get to create something that is a part of me and how I see the world but also directly connected to a people and a culture I didn’t know before I had the chance to connect to. This piece isn’t just an ode to Port Ellen from me. It’s a representation of me meeting the people of Islay and Port Ellen.”
Guests can view this monumental tribute to Port Ellen by booking the new Port Ellen 200th Anniversary Experience which is now available. The exploratory journey takes visitors through Port Ellen’s rich history as a former ghost distillery and its pioneering mission to push the boundaries of Scotch exploration by charting an atlas of smoke, a shared vision deeply reflected in Archibong’s creation.
Archibong’s sculpture was revealed at the distillery as part of a year-long programme of activities to commemorate 200 years of Port Ellen whisky. Port Ellen’s trailblazing spirit was celebrated through limited release bottlings, pioneering whisky experiments, boundary-pushing partnerships during the annual Feis Ile festival with Mr Lyan and Guinness Open Gate Brewery, and an artistic collaboration for Port Ellen Prism, which was donated by Diageo to The Distillers One of One Auction, raising £300,000 for charity.
Julie Bramham, Managing Director of Diageo Luxury Group says:
“We are incredibly proud to continue our collaboration with a visionary like Ini Archibong for this masterpiece honouring 200 years of Port Ellen whisky. His genuine passion for Port Ellen and its storied crafi emulates through his artwork, creating a physical representation of the distillery’s mission to chart an atlas of smoke through pioneering experimentations. We look forward to reflecting on the sculpture which will stand in the foyer for centuries to come”.
Guests can view the sculpture by booking the Port Ellen 200th Anniversary Experience for £450pp at portellen.com.
