Powerscourt Distillery Just The Latest In Irish Whiskey’s Revival

There is no doubt about it – Irish whiskey is on the comeback trail in a big, big way. Plans spoken of last year for 26 new or proposed distilleries, up from just a mere 4 a few years prior, are rapidly coming to fruition. Great Northern, Slane, Rademon and Teeling are just a few of the ones to hit the headlines of late, and now they are joined by a planned €10 million distillery on the grounds of the historic Powerscourt Estate a little outside of Dublin.

The planned Powerscourt distillery will take over and refurbish the Estate’s old mill house, reportedly turning it into a “world-class distillery” set amongst the backdrop of the Powerscourt’s stunningly gorgeous setting. The estate itself has an 800 year history going back to a castle built in the 13th century, and now the distillery is just the latest chapter in that.

Plans call for Powerscourt to mix barley grown in the surrounding fields with certified mineral water from the Estate’s well, using traditional pot still techniques to craft estate Irish whiskies. At full production those behind this distillery say it will be able to create more than 1 million bottles of whiskey per year. It is projected by early 2018 the first batch of whiskey will distilled and placed in oak casks to mature.

Local entrepreneurs Gerry Ginty and Ashley Gardiner are co-founders of the new venture, and the ones putting forth the significant investment which will create 30 jobs in the construction phase and 18 full-time jobs once the business is fully operational.

“Whiskey from Powerscourt Distillery will be recognised for its authenticity and unique taste,” said Ginty in a statement. “We will combine certified mineral water from the Estate with barley grown on the Estate to create something that is extra special. In essence it will be the ultimate Irish whiskey, created from barley to bottle on Powerscourt Estate.”