Irish Distilleries

[News: https://www.thespiritsbusiness.com/2021/03/delayed-belfast-distillery-project-gets-green-light/ The Belfast Distillery Company has received planning approval to build a £25 million (US$34.7m) whiskey distillery on the site of a former jail in Northern Ireland’s capital. Mar 2021.]

Boann

Ireland-based Boann Distillery has unveiled its inaugural single pot still bottling, the first time whiskey has been distilled in Drogheda in 160 years. Dec 2022.

Clonakilty

Clonakilty Distillery has added a new single malt to its portfolio, called Galley Head. Nov 2021.

Connacht

News: Irish spirits producer The Connacht Distillery has debuted its flagship single malt, said to be the first whiskey distilled in County Mayo in more than 150 years. Aug 2021.

Copeland

The Copeland Distillery has signed a distribution deal that will see its portfolio of gin, rum and whiskey sold across the US. Aug 2022.

Echlinville

Northern Ireland’s Echlinville Distillery will invest £5 million (US$6.1m) in the restoration of a former maltings to enable it to produce local barley at scale. Oct 2023.

Glendalough

Ireland’s Glendalough Distillery has released a seven-year-old single malt whiskey finished in Japanese mizunara casks. Feb 2022.

Great Northern Distillers

News: Grace O’Malley Irish whiskey launches in UK. Mar 2021.

Hinch

James Nesbitt has partnered with Northern Ireland’s Hinch Distillery to help promote its whiskeys. Jan 2024.

Jameson

Jameson signs footballer Kyle Jameson. Jan 2024.

Jameson maker Irish Distillers has promoted Dave McCabe to the position of master blender as Billy Leighton moves into a new role. Nov 2023.

Pernod Ricard-owned Jameson Irish whiskey has been selected as the official partner of the English Football League (EFL) through to the 2026/27 season. Jul 2023.

Jameson Irish whiskey has teamed up with workwear brand Dickies to launch the Crafted Together campaign. Jul 2023.

Jameson debuts ‘not so serious whiskey club’ Mar 2023.

Jameson and Trip Advisor create city guides. Mar 2023.

Pernod Ricard’s Irish Distillers arm has added a Jameson single pot still whiskey to the brand’s permanent range. Oct 2022.

Irish whiskey brand Jameson surpassed 10 million nine-litre cases in the 12 months to 30 June 2022, and is targeting 15m cases by 2030. July 2022.

Shane Lowry named as Jameson brand ambassador. Jul 2022.

Irish Distillers will be driving awareness of Jameson in the lead up to St Patrick’s Day as part of a multi-million-pound campaign. Feb 2022.

Pernod Ricard-owned Jameson has opened its new Taste House store in Dublin Airport – the first of its kind for the Irish whiskey brand. Apr 2021.

Irish Distillers has created its second beer barrel-finished Jameson Crested whiskey with Eight Degrees Brewing. Apr 2021.

Lough Gill

Buffalo Trace owner Sazerac has acquired Lough Gill Distillery in County Sligo, which will become the new home for its Irish whiskey brands Paddy and Michael Collins. Jun 2022.

Lough Ree

County Longford-based Lough Ree Distillery has debuted Bart’s Blended Irish Whiskey, named in honour of its founder’s father. Jan 2022.

Micil

Based Salthil, Galway City.

News: Irish whiskey distillation has returned to Galway for the first time in more than 100 years thanks to Micil Distillery. Mar 2021.

Midleton

eg: Powers and Paddy.

Takes water from the Dungourney river, through old red sandstone springs (and some limestone).

The fifth whiskey in the Silent Distillery Collection from Midleton Very Rare was distilled by Max Crockett in 1973 and is the penultimate release in the range. Apr 2024.

Midleton Very Rare marks 40 years. Feb 2024.

The experimental arm of Irish Distillers, Method and Madness, has released a seven-year-old whiskey – the first single malt to be created at Midleton’s microdistillery. Nov 2023.

Irish Distillers has shut the Midleton Distillery Experience after the site was damaged by flooding in the town. Oct 2023.

Irish Distillers has expanded its Midleton Very Rare range with the release of a whiskey finished in rare French Tronçais oak casks. Oct 2023.

Midleton has rolled out four single cask releases from its Very Rare collection in travel retail. Apr 2023.

Pernod Ricard-owned Irish Distillers is investing €50 million (US$52.2m) to make Midleton the first and largest carbon-neutral distillery by 2026. Jun 2022

Pernod Ricard-owned Irish Distillers is investing €50 million (US$52.2m) to make Midleton the first and largest carbon-neutral distillery by 2026. Jun 2022.

Irish Distillers has unveiled the third expression in its Midleton Very Rare Silent Distillery collection – a 47-year-old whiskey priced at US$51,000. May 2022.

Irish Distillers arm is planning to invest €13 million (US$14.7m) to redevelop the Midleton Distillery visitor experience in County Cork, which is expected to be completed by 2025. Nov 2021.

Irish Distillers has released the fourth whiskey in the Midleton Very Rare Dair Ghaelach collection, which was finished in casks made from trees grown in Kylebeg Wood. Nov 2021.

News: Irish Distillers has revealed the second limited edition expression in the Midleton Very Rare Silent Distillery Collection – a 46-year-old whiskey priced at US$45,000. May 2021.

News: Irish Distillers has unveiled the fourth release in the Redbreast Dream Cask series – a 29-year-old single pot still whiskey. May 2021.

News: Irish Distillers-owned Irish whiskey brand Redbreast is offering the chance to win a bottle of its ‘sought-after’ 29-year-old Dream Cask expression. May 2021.

News: Irish Distillers-owned whiskey brand Redbreast saw thousands enter a ballot to purchase its 29-year-old Dream Cask release. May 2021.

News: Irish Distillers has appointed Deirdre O’Carroll as blender for Midleton Distillery in County Cork. Mar 2021.

News: Irish Distillers has unveiled Midleton Very Rare 2021 – the first whiskey in the series from recently appointed master distiller Kevin O’Gorman. Feb 2021.

Old Bushmills

Established 1608 and claims to be the oldest licensed distillery in the world. Bushmills is named for the mills that dotted the town all along the River Bush. The water, drawn from the River Bush, flows over beds of basalt rock (hard water) that then flows over clay. They triple distill 100% malted barley in copper pot stills to make single malt whiskey.

In the 1850s, the Crown imposed a tax on those distilling in Ireland through a tax on barley. Malted barley was known to make the finest whiskey, known as “pure malt” whiskey. When only malted barley is used in distillation, and made at a single distillery, you have the very definition of “single malt” whiskey. That tax, however, forever changed Irish whiskey, as almost every Irish whiskey distillery began substituting corn or other inferior grains for barley. Not Bushmills. To this day, Bushmills continues to distil single malt whiskey.

In 1885, a disastrous fire destroyed The Old Bushmills Distillery but we soon rebuilt and were back in full production to meet soaring US demand. Bushmills' malt whiskey won numerous prizes in international spirits competitions, including the only gold medal for whiskey at the Paris 1889 Expo.

When Prohibition hit in the 1920s, it brought US shipments to a halt. Hundreds of distilleries were reduced to a mere handful but with the repeal of prohibition, Bushmills reportedly set sail for Chicago with the biggest shipment of whiskey ever to leave an Irish port.

In the 1950s Bushmills’ fame grew, making it a fixture in popular culture, appearing in classic films and memorable advertising campaigns.

Products: Original / Blackbush / 1995 Malaga Cask Finish / 2008 Muscatel Cask Finish / 10 Year Old / 16 Year Old / 21 Year Old.

Proximo Spirits-owned Bushmills has debuted a 14-year-old single malt that is finished in rare Malaga wine casks. Apr 2024.

Bushmills launches 36YO whiskey for £5,000. Feb 224.

Bushmills has released a 44-year-old single malt to celebrate Dubai Duty Free’s 40th birthday. Dec 2023.

Proximo Spirits-owned Bushmills has revealed the fourth series of its Causeway Collection, featuring nine single malts. Nov 2023.

Bushmills has launched a collection of rare single malt Irish whiskeys, which will be exclusive to global travel retail. Sep 2023.

Bushmills Irish whiskey has broken the million-case sales mark for the first time. Jun 2023.

Irish whiskey Bushmills has opened its £37 million (US$46m) ‘state-of-the-art’ Causeway Distillery, more than doubling its production capacity. Apr 2023.

Bushmills has completed its current Causeway Collection with a 33-year-old single malt, exclusive to travel retail. Feb 2023.

Bushmills will virtually auction its 2021 Causeway Collection to raise funds for The Causeway Coast & Glens Heritage Trust. Dec 2022.

Bushmills has released the 2022 iteration the Causeway Collection – including its oldest whiskey to date. Aug 2022.

Bushmills has partnered with the company behind British drama Peaky Blinders to create a limited edition whiskey ahead of the debut of the show’s final series. Jun 2022.

Bushmills debuts 27YO whiskey and redesign. Dec 2021.

Proximo Spirits-owned Irish whiskey brand Bushmills has named Alex Thomas as its master blender. Nov 2021.

The 2021 Bushmills Causeway Collection includes a 20-year-old Irish whiskey matured exclusively in first-fill ruby Port casks. Oct 2021.

Irish whiskey brand Bushmills has released the first two expressions in its new cask-finished range. May 2021.

News: Bushmills oldest single malt. Dec 2020.

Bushmills - The Causeway Collection: 1995 Malaga Cask Finish (Ireland)

Only 2,491 bottles available, a limited edition rare cask finished, cask strength (53.5% ABV) and non chill-filtered Irish single malt. After maturing for almost 11 years in Oloroso sherry butts and bourbon barrels, Helen Mulholland, our Master Blender, finished this whiskey in old Malaga casks. The wood imbued with this sweet Spanish wine brings bold fruit notes and a distinct nuttiness. And where others might recask their whiskey for just six months or so, we’ve finished it in Malaga casks for 14 years. This length of time deepens the fruit flavours, present from the first maturation, turning them into rich plum notes with a hint of spice, while the sweetness has intensified into honey. After almost 25 years in oak, wood too is evident, with toasted vanilla but also more unusual pinches of coffee grounds. Antique gold in colour.

Nose: A hint of rich black coffee and nuts followed by sweet wood.
Taste: Beautiful deep and velvety honey character that transforms into spiced plum notes with an undertone of sweeter vanilla wood. Oak wood and nuttiness resurface for a long lingering finish.

Bushmills - The Causeway Collection: 2008 Muscatel Cask Finish (Ireland)

Only 1,454 bottle available, a limited edition rare cask finish, cask strength (56.4% ABV) and non chill-filtered Irish single malt. After maturing quietly for almost eight years in Oloroso sherry butts and bourbon barrels, Helen Mulholland, our Master Blender, finished this whiskey in Muscatel casks. Permeated with wine made from the aromatic muscat grape, the muscatel cask imparts luscious ripe fruit notes and a deep sweetness. And where others might recask their whiskey for just six months or so, we’ve added deeper waves of flavour by finishing it in muscatel casks for an unprecedented four years. A velvety smooth sweetness gives way to deeper summer fruit notes. Scents of citrus lead to a finish bursting with sweet raisin. Colour of rose gold.

Nose: Velvety smooth sweetness, caramelised toffee sugars with a note of orange flower.
Taste: Sweet dried fruit producing a warming mouthfeel, a hint of citrus leads into a rich vanilla floral smoothness with a finish of sweet flame raisins.

Bushmills - 10 Year Old (Ireland)

Bushmills 10 year old single malt whiskey is triple distilled from 100% malted barley and matured for at least 10 years in sherry and bourbon seasoned barrels.

Taste: Honey, vanilla, milk chocolate, apple tart.

Bushmills - 16 Year Old (Ireland)

Bushmills 16 year old single malt is aged in a combination of Oloroso sherry and bourbon-seasoned casks, then finished for about 1 year in port pipes. Best enjoyed neat, or over ice. Colour of ruby red.

Taste: Fleshy fruits, almonds, port, spices.

Bushmills - 21 Year Old (Ireland)

Bushmills 21 year old single malt whiskey is aged in Oloroso sherry and bourbon-seasoned casks, then transferred into Madeira casks for a final 2 years of aging. Bushmills 21 year old single malt whiskey is aged for a minimum of 19 years in former Oloroso sherry and bourbon-seasoned casks, then transferred into Madeira casks for a further two years. This whiskey should always be served neat.

Taste: Dark chocolate, toffee, nuts, raisins.

Bushmills - Blackbush (Ireland)

Blackbush blended has 80% malt whiskey and 20% light grain whiskey.

High amount of malt married with a sweet, small-batch grain whiskey, and then matured in former Oloroso sherry and bourbon casks. Has rich, fruity notes and a deep intense character, balanced by an incredibly unique smoothness.

Taste: Sherry, peaches, nuts and spices.

Bushmills - Original (Ireland)

The Bushmills Original recipe dates back to before prohibition. It combines the single malt whiskey and a lighter grain whiskey. A smooth and versatile triple distilled blend. Matured in both bourbon and sherry casks resulting in fresh fruit and vanilla notes.

Taste: Vanilla, caramel, summer fruits, honey, oatmeal cookies.

Rademon

Rademon Estate Distillery has unveiled its first Irish whiskey under the Shortcross brand – a five-year-old single malt. Nov 2021.

Powerscourt

Irish producer The Powerscourt Distillery has launched an Amarone cask-matured single malt whiskey as the final expression in its Estate Series. Jul 2023.

The Powerscourt Distillery will invest €25 million (US$27.4m) into its global growth plans. Jun 2023.

Redbreast

Redbreast brings Cuatro Barriles Edition to GTR. Mar 2024.

Irish Distillers-owned Redbreast has released a bird feeder edition of its 12-year-old whiskey, in collaboration with charity BirdLife International. Oct 2023.

Irish whiskey brand Redbreast has created a distillery-exclusive 10-year-old expression matured in four different casks. Oct 2023.

Redbreast Irish Whiskey has launched a campaign video in celebration of Robin Redbreast Day (17 November) starring Bridesmaids actor Chris O’Dowd. Nov 2022.

Roe & Co

News: Diageo-owned Roe & Co has released an Irish whiskey that uses Japanese sugi wood and a ‘unique’ maturation process, described as a first for the category. Aug 2021.

Skellig Six18

kellig Six18 Distillery said the global travel retail market would be ‘pivotal’ for the Irish whiskey producer as it aims to grow its presence in the channel. Jan 2024.

Slane

SB meets… Alex Conyngham, Slane Irish Whiskey. Aug 2023.

rown-Forman-owned Slane Irish Whiskey has named Dr Gearóid Cahill as its first master distiller. Jan 2022.

Sliabh Liag Distillers

Irish spirits producer Sliabh Liag Distillers is looking to raise €2 million (US$2.14m) through crowdfunding to boost its production capacity. Jun 2022.

Teeling

Initially starting out as an independent bottler, Walter Teeling founded Teeling distillery in 1782, located on Marrowbone Lane in Dublin, Ireland. A family Irish whiskey business through and through, John Teeling founded Cooley Distillery in 1987. It was the first new Irish whiskey distillery to open in 100 years.

Teeling Whiskey has teamed up with Aer Rianta International (ARI) to launch a limited edition single cask whiskey as part of a new series. Mar 2022.

Irish whiskey producer Teeling has revealed the fifth and final instalment in its Renaissance single malt series. Feb 2022.

Today, Teeling Whiskey Distillery is open for business in New Market in Dublin, and is the intention of Jack and Steven Teeling to ensure a constant supply of high quality Irish whiskey.

Teeling has expanded its Vintage Reserve Collection with a 30-year-old single malt, the oldest release in the series. Nov 2021.

Teeling has extended its Renaissance range with an 18-year-old single malt finished in ex-Pineau des Charentes wine casks. Oct 2021.

News: Dublin-based Teeling Whiskey has added a 13-year-old Irish single grain to its portfolio. Sep 2021.

News: The Teeling Whiskey Company has added a 32-year-old Irish single malt whiskey to its Vintage Reserve Collection. Jul 2021.

News: Dublin-based Teeling has released a distillery-exclusive Irish whiskey to celebrate St Patrick’s Day (17 March) – Teeling Whiskey Distillery Exclusive Irish Virgin Oak. Mar 2021.

News: Umbrella London Ginger Beer finished Teeling Whiskey. Mar 2021.

News: Irish whiskey producer Teeling has extended its Renaissance series with an 18-year-old single malt finished in ex-Muscat wine casks. Feb 2021.

News: Teeling completes Brabazon series. Jan 2021.

Titanic

With historical ties to the ill-fated ship, Titanic Distillers has become the first working whiskey distillery in Belfast in almost 90 years. Aug 2023.

Titanic Distillers has invested £7.6 million (US$8.5m) to construct an Irish whiskey distillery and visitor centre in Northern Ireland’s capital, which is due to open later this year. Sep 2022.

Titanic Distillers has gained planning permission to build a distillery and visitor centre on the site where the RMS Titanic was built. Nov 2021.

Tullamore

News: Irish whiskey producer Tullamore Dew has hired two apprentice coopers at its distillery in County Offaly. May 2021.

Walsh

[ https://www.thespiritsbusiness.com/2023/10/amber-beverage-plans-e35m-walsh-whiskey-distillery/ Global spirits producer Amber Beverage Group (ABG) will spend up to €35 million (US$37m) to build a new Walsh Whiskey distillery. Oct 2023.

News: Ireland’s Walsh Whiskey Distillery has launched the latest edition of its Writers’ Tears Cask Strength expression. Jun 2021.