irish whiskey – Licensed & Catering News (LCN) – News Coverage from the Local Trade

Ministers hail rebirth as McConnell’s visitor experience opens

Joe Kearney — Tue, 23 Apr 2024 08:55:40 +0000

Distilling has re-emerged as one of the north’s most innovative, dynamic, and export-driven industries, the economy minister has said.

Conor Murphy was speaking at the opening of the McConnell’s Distillery and visitor experience by five executive ministers in the former A-wing of Crumlin Road Gaol.

First Minister Michelle O’Neill, Deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly, Infrastructure Minister John O’Dowd, Communities Minister Gordon Lyons and US Special Economic Envoy Joe Kennedy, were all at the event.

Financed by private investment, with backing from Invest NI and Santander, the redevelopment project is part of a £30m investment in Belfast Distillery Company’s revival of the 250-year-old McConnell’s Irish Whisky brand.

Alongside the new tourism experience, three new pot stills have been installed inside the former prison, capable of producing 500,000 litres of pure alcohol (LPA) per year, making north Belfast distillery one of the biggest spirit operations in Northern Ireland.

Mr Murphy, who acknowledged he had been a former resident of the prison, which officially closed in 1996, said in many ways its transformation into a £12m working whiskey distillery and tourist attraction epitomised the transformation of society here.

“McConnell’s has identified the opportunity the north presents as an exciting investment opportunity,” he said.

“They have created this beautiful new distillery and visitor experience as an innovative export focused business, producing a quality product at a venue that will attract and entertain tourists, along with creating a range of jobs in an area that has suffered from under-investment.”

First Minister Michelle O’Neill described the new distillery as “a remarkable story of imagination, innovation and determination”.

“I want to ensure this is a place where entrepreneurs can thrive and where people can come and work in first class facilities such as we see here today,” she said.

Deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly said: “It’s a great example of government departments working together with the private sector to deliver.”

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Cancer charity wants NI alcohol warning labels

Joe Kearney — Tue, 09 Apr 2024 13:26:04 +0000

Cancer warnings on alcohol products set to come into force in the Republic in 2026 should be introduced here, a charity has said.

Doreen Regan from Cancer Focus NI would like to see a similarly “bold” step being taken in Northern Ireland.

“We know there’s a clear link between drinking alcohol and cancer,” she said.

“It causes seven different types of cancer and the Northern Ireland cancer strategy states that it’s linked to at least 300 cases per year in Northern Ireland.

“So anything that’s going to help prevent that, or help empower people to make more informed choices, we would definitely be in support of.”

However Eoin Ó’Catháin, director of the Irish Whiskey Association. said the new legislation is “causing a lot of concern”.ation.

“To get the labels finalised and everything in order can take quite a long time.

“And some companies are finding it quite challenging that they’d have to have a separate line to produce a label just for the Republic of Ireland.”

Mr Ó’Catháin is worried that warning labels could also have an impact on sales to the lucrative north American souvenir market.

“Lots of people want to take a present back with them to the US to Canada, wherever they’re from.

“Will they pick up the bottle that has this very stark, very big warning label on it? Or will they prefer to pick up the Scotch?

“So there is concern there just from a pure reputation point of view as well.”

A spokesperson for Northern Ireland’s Department of Health said there were no current plans to introduce such requirements on alcohol labelling.

“Given the nature of the market, it is likely that any such changes across the UK administrations would need to be discussed on a four nations basis,” they added.

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Helen Mulholland joins Last Drop Distillers’ Assembly

Joe Kearney — Tue, 05 Mar 2024 15:51:45 +0000

Respected Irish whiskey master blender Helen Mulholland has won major recognition in Britain for her outstanding achievements that included more than three decades in senior roles at Old Bushmills.

Now master lender at Lough Gill Distillery in Sligo, which is part of Sazerac, the US bourbon business that owns Paddy Irish Whiskey, Portstewart woman Helen has been appointed to The Last Drop Distillers’ Assembly in London, as its newest member of the elite whiskey body.

The appointment is a recognition of the remarkable progress of the whiskey industry in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland and of Helen’s remarkable contribution. Helen is the first to be appointed from Ireland.

The London distillery’s assembly is based on a group of distilling industry experts and has been described as “a forum which promotes and encourages the exchange of knowledge and experience from many industries, bringing in fresh ideas and inspiration”.

Helen was also inducted into the Whisky Magazine Hall of Fame in 2019 and previously collaborated with the Last Drop on the distillery’s first Irish whiskey release, a 32-year-old single malt by Louise McGuane of JJ Corry distillery in Co Clare.

Commenting on her appointment, she said: “Joining the Last Drop Distillers’ Assembly is a great honour. I feel a great affinity with the work of the company and their quest for ‘the remarkable’ and look forward to collaborating closely with the Last Drop team and colleagues in the Assembly.

“Working in Irish whiskey is an incredible privilege, and being able to interact with the special casks that the Last Drop has put together will be very special. There is a feeling and connection inherent in whiskey, like spending time with a family member or entering an old house, and I look forward to sharing my love and enjoyment of the spirit with the Assembly.”

Helen’s expertise and remarkable track record at Bushmills led to her being justifiably named by the influential Whisky Magazine as the first woman in its Hall of Fame, in 2018. Her expertise in casks, different woods and innovative malts and blends is unrivalled.

“I am passionate about different types of wood and was attracted to acacia, a hard wood which provides a whole different flavour of whiskey. It’s also a good example of my focus on continuously exploring the nuances that different casks impart on our whiskey.”

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Whiskey distillery in Cushendall set to get green light

Joe Kearney — Tue, 27 Feb 2024 13:37:00 +0000

A bid to develop a new Irish whiskey distillery in Cushendall looks set to go ahead after more than three years in the planning process.

The Glens of Antrim Distillery would see a new spirit-making facility and tourist visitor centre developed on Gortaclee Road, next to the Ruairí Óg’s hurling and camogie club.

The proposal for the project was first launched by the McKillop family in 2020.

More than three years on, planning officials at Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council have recommended the application should be approved.

That recommendation is expected to get the green light at Wednesday’s meeting of the council’s planning committee.

The McKillop family, best known for the Glens of Antrim potato and crisp operation in Cushendall, launched their own Lír Irish Whiskey brand in 2016.

The company completed its first shipment to the United States in July 2023, exporting 7,000 bottles of its Lír Green Crest Irish whiskey into the American market.

But the family ultimately plan to distil their own whiskey in Cushendall.

They said the new distillery “will strengthen our ties with the local community and create numerous job opportunities in the area”.

The application for the distillery, first submitted in December 2020, has been in the planning process for some 38 months.

The report revealed 31 letters of objections were received. But there has been considerable backing locally, with dozens of people signing a petition of support.

DUP MP Sammy Wilson and Alliance MLA Danny Donnelly have also lent their backing to the venture, alongside well known figures in Cushendall, including Terence and Christy McNaughton.

After many months and many consultations, planning officials at the Causeway Coast and Glens council have finally recommended that the project should go ahead.

Officials said the proposed development is considered acceptable at the location, with the principle of economic development established.

“It is considered that there will be no unacceptable impacts on existing properties from noise, odour, overlooking, loss of light or overshadowing. Approval is recommended.”

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New recruits join growing Belfast Distillery team

Joe Kearney — Tue, 24 Oct 2023 14:13:00 +0000

Belfast Distillery Company has recruited four new members to its team as it continues to expand its operstions.

Having first restored the iconic McConnell’s Irish Whisky brand, which is now available in over 40 countries worldwide, Belfast Distillery Company is now working on the transformation of the once derelict and dilapidated A Wing at Crumlin Road Gaol into the state-of-the-art McConnell’s Distillery and Visitor Experience.

In the last number of weeks the arrivals of Claire Crerand, Barry Mageean, Sean Rocks and Corey Fitzpatrick marks another milestone for the company, which is committed to providing investment and employment opportunities for the area.

Once opened, the J&J McConnell’s Distillery and Visitor Experience will eventually employ approximately 50 people and welcome in excess of 100,000 visitors every year.

Claire Crerand has been appointed Visitor Experience Operations Manager, having previously worked at senior management level at The Scotch Whisky Experience. Barry Mageean joins as Distillery Team Leader alongside Master Distiller Graeme Millar, bringing a wealth of experience in designing, commissioning and managing distilleries across the UK and Ireland.

Sean Rocks and Corey Fitzpatrick, who both have backgrounds in premium hospitality and tourism come on board as Brand Ambassadors, travelling the length and breadth of Ireland and around the world to share the McConnell’s story.

John Kelly, Chief Executive Officer at Belfast Distillery Company welcomed the latest additions to their team, saying: “This an exciting time for us, as we continue to re-develop A-Wing and open the doors to our new home at Crumlin Road Gaol.

“We are particularly pleased to be building our team that will be here on the ground, marking another milestone in our ambitious plans for the J&J McConnell’s Distillery and Visitor Experience. Barry will be supporting Graeme, our experienced Master Distiller to ensure the whiskey we are producing is of the very best quality, while Claire is involved in designing and implementing an experience to remember for every visitor who crosses our door to see the distillery in action. Sean and Corey will be supporting sales of McConnell’s both at home and abroad.”

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