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Nico Kaiser

Irish whiskey is going through a resurgence - but not everyone will enjoy it

One of Ireland’s best-known whiskey makers has some warnings for the industry.

ONE OF THE founding fathers of modern whiskey distilling in Ireland has warned many of the current crop of producers won’t even get their projects off the ground.

Entrepreneur John Teeling, who founded the Cooley Distillery in Co Louth nearly 30 years ago, has taken the wraps off his latest project, the Great Northern Distillery in Dundalk.

The first of two distilleries on the former Harp brewery site will produce up to 30 million bottles a year of column-still grain whiskey, while a second to open before the end of the month will churn out 12 million bottles of single malt and pot-still whiskey.

Its total output, the equivalent of 3.5 million cases of the spirit, will boost Ireland’s whiskey output by about one-third on current figures.

The huge increase in supply comes amid a resurgence in the popularity of the spirit, which has led to the announcement of more than 20 new distillery projects across the country.

Wishkey2 The Irish Whiskey Association's plan for the industry

Click here for a larger version

Teeling, who sold the Cooley Distillery for €71 million in 2011, told Newstalk’s Breakfast Business that Irish whiskey was going to keep growing, but warned many of the planned distilleries might never produce a drop.

I think some of them may not get started, I think they don’t realise that it will take them four or five years from now until they have their first whiskey and it will certainly take them a number of years before they get commercial after that,” he said.

Irish whiskey needs to mature for at least three years before it can be officially branded as the product.

Teeling John Teeling in 2003 LEON FARRELL / PHOTOCALL IRELAND LEON FARRELL / PHOTOCALL IRELAND / PHOTOCALL IRELAND

A different prospect

The Great Northern Distillery’s unveiling follows the launch last month of Dublin’s Teeling Whiskey Distillery, set up by Teeling’s sons Jack and Stephen.

However unlike his sons’ export-focussed operation, in which Teeling is one of several family investors, the Dundalk distillery’s output will be destined for other companies’ blended whiskey brands and retailers’ own-label brands.

Great North Distillery The Great Northern Distillery in Dundalk

Teelin said the Great Northern Distillery’s business model was based on economies of scale and it would be able to produce whiskey at possibly the lowest cost of any distillery in Ireland.

“There has to be someone like us – there has to be a general level of grain whiskey that can supply the blends,” he said.

I think there is going to be very large growth in this market for entry-level, value whiskeys and the average whiskey over the next 10 or 15 years.”
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23 Comments
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    Mute G-Star Bareback
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    Aug 4th 2015, 2:26 PM

    It’s fantastic to see Irish whiskey making a comeback and all these small distilleries emerging. There’s definitely a market for them even on a small scale. Just take a look at Scotland, over 100 distilleries there.

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    Mute Chris Kirk
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    Aug 4th 2015, 1:32 PM

    Good luck to John Teeling with his investment in producing Irish whiskey. What the article fails to say is that it takes over three years to produce a single bottle of Irish whiskey from start to finish. So unless Teeling has a ready market for his product and a cash supply to carry him over those three years even he will struggle to survive..
    Dingle Distilleries will have their own new Irish whiskey ready for bottling next year having already been two years in the cask. They are already producing excellent gin and vodka product to an international market.

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    Mute Alan Hanlon
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    Aug 4th 2015, 1:37 PM

    read the article again , he is quoted as stating 4 to 5 years

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    Mute Pharmyco
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    Aug 4th 2015, 1:47 PM

    Again? He didn’t read it the first time.

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    Mute Bunny Johnson
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    Aug 4th 2015, 1:56 PM

    Yes but I think he is clarifying. Anyone making whiskey will know it takes 3 years and 1 day to be precise before its legally allowed to be called whiskey.

    I am more interested in why the Teelings keep getting all this free publicity from the Journal and no publicising Dingle Whiskey who are actually selling their Gin and Vodka ( very partial to the Gin) and will have their 1st 3 year old whiskey in their hands later this year. Up Dingle!!

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    Mute hjGfIgAq
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    Aug 4th 2015, 2:02 PM
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    Mute IrishGravyTrain
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    Aug 4th 2015, 2:15 PM

    Oooooh 2012. Time for an update me thinks.

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    Mute Bunny Johnson
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    Aug 4th 2015, 2:35 PM

    Thanks Peter. I know you did and in fact I think the Journal was where I first heard of the new distillery in Dingle but the Teelings are getting a lot of coverage for nothing particularly special. Their father owned a distillery before and so on, I fully agree but they are joking the party when it’s already begun. The lads in Dingle to be fair had no prior experience, started from scratch, were the first new distillery in Ireland for 200 or more years (sorry forget exact number). It just seems to me that because this is in a Dublin there is an unfair amount of coverage. I wish all new distilleries up and down the country the best of luck and look forward to trying their wares. I hope we can reclaim out whiskey heritage but do so that some revisits would be good.

    Dingle will have the first 3 year whiskey ready this year. Maybe you could contact them and get the exact date and do a small piece. I am sure it would be appreciated.

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    Mute Chris Kirk
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    Aug 4th 2015, 3:20 PM

    Thank you Bunny for the ‘clarifying’ comment. Teeling must have shares in the Journal…..

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    Mute Aidan Foley
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    Aug 4th 2015, 3:21 PM

    The story is about a distillery that’s opening in Dundalk not Dublin. I don’t see why you think the journal shouldn’t report on this.

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    Mute Chris Kirk
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    Aug 4th 2015, 3:46 PM

    Peter, you need to look at Dingle Distillery again now that it is producing its own gin and vodka, not to mention the 500+ Founding Fathers who have invested in casks of Dingle whiskey. This also helps the local economy and tourism, a clear example for other distilleries to follow..

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    Mute Chris Kirk
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    Aug 4th 2015, 3:53 PM

    Pull your horns in Alan lad, Teeling is trying to scaremonger other start up distilleries.

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    Mute Paul Kane
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    Aug 4th 2015, 5:04 PM

    Considering Dingle was set up by the Team behind the Porterhouse it is stretching it a bit saying they had no experience. They had plenty of experience in Brewing and Fermenting and now they have added distilling of the product. They already had establish Marketing skills and a ready outlet for their own products.

    I think the model they established should be the route for any new distilleries. Have products that you can sell from day one like Vodka or Gin and then build up your stocks of Whiskey and establish the brand over the three years and a day.

    Personally as a Whiskey drinker I am delighted that we are getting so much choice and Teelings Single Malt is an exceptional product (I know it comes from stock they have held over from Cooley Distilleries before the take over by Beam).

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    Mute You're What?
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    Aug 4th 2015, 5:45 PM

    Teeling 21 Year Old Vintage Reserve is the most perfect whiskey I’ve ever tasted and Dingle is my favourite place in the world. Just saying…

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    Mute Paul Kane
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    Aug 4th 2015, 5:49 PM

    Well it’s subjective and I have an awful lot to try still but Redbreast 21 year old is my Whiskey Nirvana at the moment followed closely by Suntorys Hibiki 12 Year Old (I need more readies to stump up for the 21 year old of that baby).

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    Mute Fiach Mac Aodha
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    Aug 4th 2015, 6:16 PM

    It’s a bit patronising to assume that the new distilleries haven’t done their homework!

    Having said that, Teeling’s Writer’s Tears is a great whiskey.

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    Mute John Judd
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    Aug 4th 2015, 2:15 PM

    Must be an acquired taste never liked whisky!

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    Mute Aaron D
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    Aug 4th 2015, 2:50 PM

    You should try whiskey.

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    Mute G-Star Bareback
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    Aug 4th 2015, 3:51 PM

    it is an acquired taste. I suggest you acquire it, you’re missing out!

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    Mute Chris Kirk
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    Aug 4th 2015, 6:47 PM

    Better still buy a cask from Dingle Distillery for around 6k and later put your own label on it. G-Star Bareback looks like a pretty good name.

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    Mute Anthony Byrne
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    Aug 4th 2015, 6:37 PM

    Whiskey is a deadly neuro-toxin, enough of which if ingested will kill one for certain. Yet we have an industry dedicated to manufacturing and marketing it for exactly that purpose, just like the Tobacco industry. How clever we are as a species.

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    Mute Anthony Byrne
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    Aug 4th 2015, 6:41 PM

    Now Beer on the other hand,- well that’s just plain good for you.

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    Mute Michael Sands
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    Aug 4th 2015, 5:55 PM

    I prefer Bunratty Mead in the ceramic bottle and not the glass bottle myself…

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