Irish Distillers has announced the appointment of Killian O’Mahony as Cooper of its Midleton distillery, following the successful completion of his apprenticeship under Master Cooper, Ger Buckley.
O’Mahony is the first newly qualified Cooper at Midleton distillery in 40 years.
“I come from a long line of craftsmen going back generations, so working with my hands is in my blood,” O’Mahony said, “It has been a privilege to learn the craft of coopering around the world.”
“I’m delighted to be continuing to expand my career with Irish Distillers and I look forward to continuing to work with the team in Midleton, using my craft and experience to play my part in the renaissance of Irish whiskey.”
A New Cask Mate
A Cooper is a craftsman trained to make and repair wooden casks, which is essential given the effect on the spirit that casks have.
As part of his new role, Killian will be responsible for the repair and maintenance of over 1.5 million casks on site in Midleton, as well as managing various coopering and cask related projects in the distillery.
Kevin O'Gorman, Head of Maturation at Irish Distillers, agreed that: “Wood is one of the most important factors to affect the taste of Irish whiskey, so the techniques involved in cooperage … are essential to the production process.”
“Killian’s appointment means that the future of this age-old craft is in good hands for future generations at Midleton,” he continued.
“I would like to welcome Killian into the cooperage fold, I have no doubt that he will play his part in adding exciting new chapters to the incredible story of Irish whiskey.”
© 2019 Checkout – your source for the latest Irish retail news. Article by Aidan O’Sullivan. Click sign-up to subscribe to Checkout.
