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A dram good 2023: Landmark year for resurgent Irish whiskey industry in Ulster

The resurgent Irish whiskey industry enjoyed another milestone year in Ulster and across the island

Titanic Distillers director Peter Lavery (right) discusses the whiskey-making process with Head Distiller Damien Rafferty as production started at Belfast’s first working whiskey distillery since the days of prohibition in the 1930s. Titanic Distillers, located on the site of the historic Thompson Dock and Pumphouse in the heart of the city’s Titanic Quarter, was granted its Distillers License to produce spirits last week, and the shiny new copper stills are now up and firing at the distillery as whiskey production got under way in Belfast for the first time in almost 90 years.
Titanic Distillers' director Peter Lavery (right) with head distiller Damien Rafferty, as production gets under way at Belfast’s first working whiskey distillery since the 1930s
By Ryan McAleer

It was a year where Irish whiskey production returned to Belfast for the first time in 88 years, while Sliabh Liag Distillers in Ardara saw the release of the first legally distilled whiskey from Donegal since 1841.

Titanic Distillers officially commenced production at its impressive new facility inside the historic Thompson Pumphouse over the summer following an £8 million investment.

In the north of the city, Belfast Distillery Company made significant progress on the new £22m J&J McConnell’s Distillery, due to open in the A-wing at Crumlin Road Gaol in 2024.

On the Ards Peninsula, Echlinville Distillery, which has revived the Dunville’s brand, announced a £5m investment to acquire the former Ards Maltings building, with plans to malt barley on an industrial scale.

Echlinville continued the revival spirit in 2023, with new releases of the famous Old Comber brand.

The Ards Maltings building on Portaferry Road and (inset), Echlinville Distillery owner, Shane Braniff (centre), pictured with Niall Devlin (left) and Gavin North (right) from Bank of Ireland UK
The Ards Maltings building on Portaferry Road and (inset), Echlinville Distillery owner, Shane Braniff (centre), pictured with Niall Devlin (left) and Gavin North (right) from Bank of Ireland UK

Elsewhere in Co Down, the Rademon and Copeland distilleries continued to grow and expand their operations, both making in-roads in the US market.

In Newry, Two Stacks struck new deals with Tesco while its innovative ‘Dram in a Can’ hit one million sales.

Its award-winning sister company, Killowen, also continued to build it ‘kult’ following in 2023, with the celebrated Mourne distillery among the highlights of the biggest Belfast Whiskey Week to date.

The Irish whiskey scene grew increasingly diverse in 2023, with sports figures and celebrities among those launching new brands.

Jean Claude Van Damme threw his weight behind Old Oak Irish Whiskey, while ex-Irish rugby international Darren Cave teamed up with hospitality gurus Adrian McLaughlin, Jillian Vose and Sean Muldoon for Outwalker Irish Whiskey.

Some of the biggest names in the Irish industry also enjoyed a bumper 2023.

In July, the Old Bushmills Distillery reported record turnover of £56.2 million, with pre-tax profit rising 30% to £10.34m.

The north coast distillery is on course for a bigger and better 2023 after launching its new £37m Causeway Distillery in April, which has doubled its capacity.

Bushmills master blender, Alex Thomas, eyes up the distillery's oldest expression to date.
Bushmills master blender, Alex Thomas, capped off a huge year for the distillery by overseeing the December release its oldest expression to date, a 44 year-old single malt Irish whiskey created exclusively for Dubai Duty Free. Bushmills master blender, Alex Thomas, eyes up the distillery's oldest expression to date.

The other big beast of Irish whiskey, Irish Distillers, saw net sales growth of 11% across its portfolio for the year to June 2023.

The company, which produces Jameson, Powers, Redbreast and the ‘Spot Whiskeys’ from its Midletown distillery in Co Cork, reported 56% net growth in sales of Jameson to Asian markets.

Closer to the border, Great Northern Distillery (GND), one of the most important businesses in the resurgent Irish whiskey market, saw its sales rise by 22% to €54m (£46.8m) in the year to April 2023.

Owned by Irish entrepreneur John Teeling, GND sells its spirit onto scores of distilleries and drinks companies, who sell it under their own branding.

The company, which operates from the old Harp brewery in Dundalk, made a pre-tax profit of €27m (£23.4m), according to filed accounts.