BELFAST’S first working whiskey distillery for almost 90 years will open in the city’s Titanic Quarter later this month.
Titanic Distillers have confirmed its new venture in the historic Thompson Dock will open to the public on April 28.
It heralds the first working whiskey distillery in the city since Dunville & Co stopped production in 1935.
A second whiskey distillery in the city is due to open later this year in the former Crumlin Road Gaol.
The Belfast Distillery Company, which has revived the McConnell’s brand, is behind that multi-million pound project.
Titanic Distillers, which is owned by Peter Lavery, Stephen Symington and Richard Irwin, have invested around £8 million to develop the whiskey tourism project in the historic Titanic Pumphouse. It’s expected to create around 41 jobs once fully operational.
The listed building and neighbouring Thompson Dry Dock, first opened in 1911 to service and accommodate the massive White Star transatlantic liners Olympic and Titanic.
The pumphouse features three new pot stills produced by Forsyths in Scotland.
All of the original pump equipment and associated internal historic features of the building have been retained and are available to view as part of the associated visitor tours, while the exterior includes a new food and beverage area.
Peter Lavery, who first proposed opening a distillery in Belfast’s former Crumlin Road Gaol, said: “It’s been quite a journey to get this far but we’re finally here and we can’t wait to open our doors to the public on April 28.
"Whiskey has played an important part in the history of our city but there hasn’t been a working distillery here since the 1930s, so we are delighted to revive this great distilling tradition - bringing Belfast back to the forefront of Irish Whiskey production, while at the same time telling the story of a historic past when we led the way globally - not just in shipbuilding but across many areas of industry, manufacturing and innovation.”
Fellow director Stephen Symington added: “We have embraced the history of our distillery’s location to create a unique product and visitor experience, immersed in the spirit of Belfast’s industrial and maritime past and inspired by the people who worked in Belfast’s shipyard more than a century ago.
“It is important though to recognise that, outside of the site’s massive tourism appeal and historic significance, this is also a working distillery in which we will be able to produce our own products to build on our success to date and really make the most of the growing global demand for Irish Whiskey.”
