Ireland's first purpose-built distillery for over 200 years - the Dingle Whiskey Distillery – is celebrating its inauguration by offering its first 500 casks of 'Founding Fathers' single malt to investors.
The distillery, in the Dingle Peninsula of County Kerry, south-west Ireland, started operating in 2012. It was founded by Oliver Hughes, director and co-founder of the Porterhouse Brewing Company.
‘It is a traditional three copper pot distillery producing 4000 litres of whiskey spirit per week, in addition to 3000 litres of vodka and 2000 litres of gin,’ according to spokeswoman Fiona Roche.
Dingle represents the first serious attempt to reinvigorate the domestic distillation industry in Ireland, which contracted in the early 20th century due to Prohibition – the US was an important market for Irish whiskey – a shrinking global market, and a series of mergers and foreign acquisitions.
‘Dingle will produce our Founding Fathers whiskey – Dingle Gold – and Dingle Green (blended) whiskey in addition to our vodka and gin brands in artisanal quantities. We anticipate that the casks will be worth between €12,000 and €15,000 in five years,’ Roche told Decanter.com.
There are currently only three major distilleries operating in Ireland; the largest, Irish distillers – makers of Jameson’s – is owned by Pernod-Ricard. Bushmills, one of the world’s oldest distilleries, is owned by Diageo, and Cooley, owned by Beam Inc.
Written by James Lawrence
