Mr Lyan Studio partners with Port Ellen at Fèis Ìle

How do we engage whisky lovers with a product that won’t be ready for another 15 years?

With over 200 years of history and a cult following to match, Port Ellen occupies near-mythical status in the world of whisky. Its closure in 1983 only deepened the intrigue, elevating the liquid even further among collectors. The reopening of the distillery in 2024 offered a rare opportunity: to bring a whisky icon back to life.

Port Ellen approached Mr Lyan Studio with a singular challenge: how to build meaningful engagement around a whisky that won’t be ready for release for at least another 15 years. With its first return to Feis Ile in two decades, the moment demanded impact—but with the exclusivity of the old spirit off-limits, the focus turned to the newly flowing new-make.

An invitation to “Taste the Future”

We created a tasting journey built around a series of mixed drinks that celebrated the new-make spirit and explored the different flavour paths the liquid could follow by amplifying key flavour camps already present and hinting at what might emerge over time.

Each drink centred on themes like smoke, salt, fruit, or wood, inviting guests to imagine the whisky’s evolution, and reflect on the elements that will shape it: cask, malt, air, and Islay itself.

The Mr Lyan Studio team were on hand at the festival to serve, host and contextualise the experience. A short introductory talk welcomed guests, before they were guided through the menu, a way to engage with the spirit’s potential, without making promises. A nod to the past, and a glimpse of the future.

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Summary of scope:

• Concept development and strategy

• Liquid development

• Event activation staffing