Raise a Glencairn glass – we have more great whiskey news to celebrate! Diageo, the British-based multinational alcoholic drinks company, has announced that it will be going ahead with a €25m deal to construct a new whiskey distillery in Dublin. The operation will be located at St. James’s Gate, and will be used to produce a new range of blended, premium Irish Whiskey, known as Roe & Co.
The company, which is also famous for making Guinness, has been given necessary permission to construct a visitor center where whiskey lovers from all over the world can learn about how the beverage is made. The visitor experience center will be constructed at what was once Guinness Power House on Thomas Street in Dublin.
The distillery is expected to be fully operational by early 2019, and so with distilling and aging time factored in, the first whiskey to come out of the facility is expected to go on sale no earlier than 2022. The whiskey that will be produced has been given its name in honor of George Roe, a whiskey maker who is thought to have helped bring in the golden era of distilling Irish whiskey. In the 19h century, he helped establish multiple distilleries and create more interest in the beverage. The primary distillery that Roe owned was originally on Thomas Street, and at one point, it was the largest distillery in Ireland producing the largest quantity of the beverage for export.
When finished, the new Thomas Street distillery will be expected to produce as much as half a million liters of whiskey every year. The beverage will then be matured and bottled away from the operation.
The company has the intention to bring significant regeneration benefits to the local are. The attraction to the distillery’s visitor center can help bring in more tourism and boost the local economy.
The approval was given by Dublin City Council, after they concluded that this new development will be sustainable economically. The council also decided that the introduction of a new distillery would be conducive to maintaining the local culture and heritage. This is just one of many new approvals throughout Ireland, with the whiskey export industry growing more than €215 million in the last 10 years.
Miriam Mooney, the chief of the Irish Whiskey Association, has said that this new development will be a significant chapter in the evolving story of Irish whiskey – and she’s right. Four years ago, the region has just four distilleries operation. Now, there are 16 currently operating, and another 13 in the planning stages.
If you’re looking to experience whiskey production in the home of Irish whiskey, this could be an amazing place for you and your loved ones to visit. While you’re waiting for the new distillery to be completed, be sure to check out SipDark’s wide range of great whiskey accessories. From our high quality Glencairn glass range to our famous soapstone whiskey stones, you’ll be sure to find the perfect drinking accessories.