Walsh Whiskey Announces New Distillery Site
Posted by Irish Whiskey USA on
AMBER BEVERAGE GROUP ANNOUNCES PLANS FOR NEW WALSH WHISKEY DISTILLERY SITE
The Amber Beverage Group, has announced plans to become one of the major global producers of Irish whiskey, by investing up to €35 million in the construction of one of the largest distilleries in the category.
Walsh Whiskey Distillery at Dunleckney, which will become the brand home for its multi-award-winning Writers’ Tears and The Irishman whiskey brands, will be located on a historic 18th century site by the banks of the River Barrow in County Carlow.
The former maltings at Dunleckney is said to be one of the finest examples of industrial heritage in Ireland’s south-east region. The site of a corn mill in the 1700s, and a water-powered brewery in the early 1800s, it was redeveloped as malthouses in the 1860s.
The new distillery which will have a production capacity of 4 million LPAs annually, is also planning to lay down significant reserves of maturing whiskey over the long term.
The investment underpins Amber Beverage Group’s commitment to becoming a major producer in the global Irish whiskey market, which reached US$4.7 billion in 2022 and is expected to grow to US$7.5 billion by 2028.
Commenting on the news, Jekaterina Stuge, CEO Of Amber Beverage Group, said: “This is ABG’s second major investment in the fast-growing Irish whiskey category following our acquisition of Walsh Whiskey and its super-premium Irish whiskey brands, Writers’ Tears and The Irishman, in 2021. We will preserve the heritage of the historic site at Dunleckney, while introducing high-end production capabilities, married with a modern design to excite the senses of visitors to what will become a leading distillery and brand home for our whiskeys.”
Bernard Walsh, Founder and Managing Director of Walsh Whiskey, added: “Located in the heart of Ireland’s barley growing region, with its own supply of natural water, the 18th century riverside location of Dunleckney has been a special location for producing drink and food since the 1700s. Milled corn, beer, and malted grain have all been produced at this site, so whiskey is a natural progression. Our immediate focus will be on producing pot still and single malt whiskeys in traditional copper pots.”
Subject to planning permission, construction at Dunleckney will commence in late 2024, with the commissioning of the distillery expected to happen in 2026.
This article originally appeared here