Sukhinder Singh
Sukhinder Singh was born in March 1968 to parents Narinder and Bhupinder Singh, Sukhinder grew up immersed in the spirits world. His parents were pioneers of the trade, becoming the first Asians in the UK to be granted an alcohol license in 1971. Soon the Singhs opened a shop called The Nest, in the west London town of Hanwell where Sukhinder recalls spending countless hours among shelves lined with bottles from around the world. The experience gave him an unusually early familiarity with spirits. That early knowledge would shape the rest of his life.
A few years older than his brother Rajbir, Sukhinder was the first to attend university. But by the time he graduated in 1990, the UK was in the midst of a property crash and jobs as a chartered surveyor, which he’d trained for, were few and far between. At about the same time, Sukhinder had become captivated by the history of whisky. He spent years studying distilleries, collecting bottles and miniatures, and traveling throughout Scotland. During the late 1980s and early 1990s, when many distilleries were not yet accustomed to welcoming tourists, Singh made repeated trips north, introducing himself to distillery managers and learning firsthand about production methods and whisky history. Those years were an extraordinary education, one that gave him a detailed understanding of Scotland’s whisky landscape long before he entered the trade professionally.
In 1999, Sukhinder and his brother Rajbir had the opportunity to go in business together. They ultimately founded what would become one of the most influential whisky retailers in the world called The Whisky Exchange. The company quickly established itself as a destination for enthusiasts seeking rare, collectible, and high-quality spirits. Alongside the retail operation, the brothers also created Speciality Drinks, a business involved in sourcing and bottling whisky. Their timing proved ideal. Interest in single malt Scotch whisky was expanding rapidly, and Singh’s deep knowledge of distilleries, casks, and flavor profiles helped distinguish the company from many competitors. Their businesses also quickly became a true Singh family affair. In fact, Sukhinder is married to Jasmine Singh, who, along with Rajbir’s wife, Jasveen, work alongside the brothers in the businesses.
Speciality Drinks soon evolved beyond bottling. The company developed successful whisky brands, including Elements of Islay and Port Askaig, both of which drew upon Singh’s long-standing affection for the island of Islay. Then, in 2017, the bottling division adopted a new name: Elixir Distillers.
Yet the Singhs increasingly wanted to create whisky rather than simply sell or bottle it. And among Scotland’s whisky-producing regions, Islay held a particularly special place in their imagination. Sukhinder estimated that he had tasted nearly 3,000 Islay whisky bottlings and had visited the island regularly for more than twenty-five years. The more Sukhinder learned about Islay, the more determined he became to establish a distillery there. So in 2018, Elixir Distillers publicly confirmed plans to build a new distillery near Port Ellen on Islay’s southern coast. Singh was enthusiastic about the site, noting that it stood along one of the most famous roads in whisky, passing the celebrated distilleries of Laphroaig Distillery, Lagavulin Distillery, and Ardbeg Distillery. As a collector of Port Ellen whisky, he also found particular significance in building in that historic location. The project faced a lengthy planning process, but Singh remained committed to his vision. Revised plans submitted in 2020 revealed a facility designed to blend traditional whisky-making methods with modern sustainability practices. The distillery would include floor maltings, multiple still houses, an education center, a visitor experience, housing for employees, and community-focused initiatives. In May 2022, the project finally received its name: Portintruan Distillery. Derived from the historic farm estate on which it stands, Portintruan means “place of the stream.” For Singh, the distillery represented far more than another business venture. It embodied decades of study, collecting, tasting, and dreaming. He outlined a production philosophy centered on flavor, advocating old-style techniques that he believed would create greater depth and character.
The project continued to evolve through 2024. Construction progressed, and Portintruan became the centerpiece of Elixir Distillers’ transition from bottler and blender to full-scale distiller. The facility was designed to combine traditional methods with modern technology while maintaining a strong emphasis on sustainability and education. By 2026, the company anticipated beginning distillation under the leadership of Distillery Manager Georgie Crawford. Unfortunately, the main builder of the distillery, ISG, aa well as its eight of its subsidiaries entered administration. As a result, work on the distillery was halted for over a year. Fortunately, it has now resumed under another builder, and the original expected opening date in the summer of 2026 has now been re-confirmed.
Meanwhile, Singh’s influence on the whisky industry has continued to expand. Following the sale of The Whisky Exchange to Pernod Ricard in 2021, many might have expected him to retire. Instead, he doubled down on whisky production. Elixir Distillers acquired Tormore Distillery in Speyside and continued investing heavily in Portintruan. Throughout these ventures, Singh remained guided by a philosophy that prioritizes the quality of the liquid itself over marketing or packaging. His stated focus has consistently been on flavor, craftsmanship, and the pursuit of exceptional whisky.
Viewed in chronological perspective, Sukhinder Singh’s career forms a remarkably coherent story. A child fascinated by bottles in his parents’ shop became a collector, a student of whisky history, a pioneering retailer, an independent bottler, and ultimately a distillery founder. While The Whisky Exchange helped establish his reputation, Portintruan stands as the clearest expression of his lifelong passion. After decades spent studying Scotland’s whiskies and championing great spirits from other producers, Sukhinder Singh finally set out to create a whisky of his own on the island that had inspired him for more than a quarter century. In that sense, the founding of Portintruan was not simply a business expansion, it was the culmination of a lifelong journey devoted to whisky.
Sources:
Whisky Magazine, “Discovering the Elements of Islay with Elixir Distillers”, Bethany Whymark, 21 June 2024, whiskymag.com
The Distillers Journal, “New Islay Distillery Portintruan”, 12 May 2022, distillersjournal.info
The Drinks Business, “Liquid, Liquid, Liquid: Elixir Distillers’ Flavour Focus”, Richard Woodard, 17 February 2026, thedrinksbusiness.com
Whisky Saga, “Whisky Voices: Sukhinder Singh”, Thomas Øhrbom, whiskysaga.com
88 Bamboo, “The Full Q&A Interview with Elixir Distillers’ Sukhinder Singh”, 17 February 2026, 88bamboo.com
Elixir Distillers, “Portintruan Distillery”, elixirdistillers.com
Portintruan Distillery official website, “Meet the Team”, portintruan.com
