HINCH Distillery in Co Down has received £200,000 in funding from Tourism NI to support the construction of a £500,000 maturation warehouse - the final element of its visitors’ experience.
The warehouse will end the tour of the distillery, which already incorporates the individual steps of the distilling process - from the ingredients room, mash house, still house, spectrum room and a sampling room (designed by the same team behind New York’s Dead Rabbit).
As a result of the funding Hinch will be able to ramp up its tour and conclude it with the maturation process, which will illustrate the effect of ageing new-make spirit and in particular Hinch’s approach to wood management and scale.
The £15 million Hinch Distillery, launched in 2019 and opened a year later, has already produced a number of uniquely casked Irish whiskeys including a ‘Craft and Casks’ range using local craft beer casks. It has also produced a range of sherry-casked whiskeys and its own limited edition Château de la Ligne wine cask variety.
Many distilleries don't have maturation on site, making the construction of this area a massive coup for the tourism offer in the north.
Hinch chairman Dr Terry Cross said: “The maturation process is a hugely important part of the tour and the whiskey process, and this space will afford visitors the ability to see our distilled product maturing on site, and the various cask finishes, scale of production and investment in liquid and casks.
“We thank Tourism NI for their continued support in our project, from its inception to its development and now helping us mature alongside our whiskeys.”
David Roberts, director of strategic development at Tourism NI, said: “We are delighted to work with Hinch Distillery to help grow its tourism offering.
“The completion of the maturation warehouse will add another important dimension to the whiskey tour experience which is attracting domestic and international visitors.”
