Irish Distillers has announced an investment of over €150 million in its sites in Cork and Dublin to meet 'demand for its products as the Irish whiskey renaissance continues to grow.
The spirits and wines distributor said that nearly €130 million is to be spent expanding and upgrading the distillery in Midleton, and maturation site in Dungourney, Co. Cork, with over €20 million being invested in the development of its bottling plant in Fox and Geese, Co. Dublin.
"This €150 million investment in Midleton, Dungourney and Fox and Geese reflects the growing international success of Irish Distillers’ whiskey portfolio," Conor McQuaid, Chairman and CEO said.
"With a tradition dating back to 1780, we have been distilling in the Midleton Distillery since 1975 and we are delighted to confirm our commitment to this tradition, and at the same time continue to embrace progress, delivering new and innovative expressions of Irish whiskey."
Capacity Expansion
The investment will see the construction of eight new maturation warehouses, each holding 16,800 casks, with further land to be purchased to support the next phase of development, in Dungourney, Co. Cork.
The company has also added an additional mechanical vapour recompression evaporator, made by GEA Wiegand in Germany, to its Midleton Distillery in East Cork, the group said in a statement.
The addition allows the distillery to further expand its capacity. A third mash filter and new fermenters are also to be installed in the distillery to meet the increasing demand for its portfolio of whiskeys. The distillery will also complete construction of a new office building in July 2019.
Premium Spirit
“Irish whiskey is the fastest growing premium spirit in the world, with sales now accounting for more than one-third of all Irish beverage exports," McQuaid added.
"This investment will help to allow this growth to continue for years to come."
© 2018 Checkout – your source for the latest Irish retail news. Article by Donna Ahern. Click subscribe to sign up for the Checkout print edition.
