Spirits giant Sazerac has announced the renaming of its Irish whiskey operation to Hawk’s Rock Distillery, marking a significant milestone in the company’s European expansion strategy.
Hawk’s Rock Distillery
The facility, formerly known as Lough Gill Distillery, will continue producing Irish whiskey at its expansive 100-acre site in County Sligo under Master Blender Helen Mulholland’s direction. The property includes the nationally listed Hazelwood House, a historic landmark.
According to Sazerac, the new name draws inspiration from a prominent Ox Mountains outcrop that influenced Nobel Prize-winning poet W.B. Yeats’ play ‘At the Hawk’s Well’. The rebrand aligns with the company’s vision of balancing traditional methods with innovation.
Global Aspirations
“The renaming of Hawk’s Rock Distillery marks a new, yet familiar, frontier for us,” said Sazerac President and CEO Jake Wenz. “Sazerac is known for its balanced approach to honoring tradition while embracing change in constant pursuit of crafting the world’s best spirits at our distilleries in America, India, Canada and France.”
Wenz emphasized that this philosophy extends to their Irish operations, where they aim to blend time-honored practices with innovation to advance Irish whiskey-making.
The company’s whiskey portfolio already includes notable operations at Buffalo Trace Distillery in Kentucky, Domaine Sazerac de Segonzac in Cognac, France, and Paul John Distillery in Goa, India.
Industry Leadership
Leading the distillation team is Helen Mulholland, who brings considerable prestige to the operation. Mulholland holds several distinctions, including being the first female Master Blender in Irish whiskey history, current Chair of the Irish Whiskey Association, and a Whisky Hall of Fame inductee.
She and her team are developing new Irish whiskey brands scheduled to debut in June 2025.
Since acquiring Lough Gill in 2022, Sazerac has implemented significant facility improvements, including tripling warehouse capacity and expanding production capabilities while modernizing the distillery.
“This rebrand is just the beginning for Hawk’s Rock Distillery,” Wenz noted. “Throughout the changes at Hawk’s Rock, our vision remains the same – creating a track record for the aging and blending of award-winning whiskeys – and this name change brings us one step closer to bringing that vision to life.”
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While currently closed to visitors during renovations, Sazerac has secured planning permission to develop a future visitor experience at the Sligo location.
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