Construction begins in Slane Castle Whiskey Distillery
The Irish Whiskey industry has set its sights on exponential growth in the coming years, starting with a new $50m (€44m) distillery in Co. Meath
Print1 October 2015
Construction has begun on the new Slane Distilley and Visitor Centre in Meath, marked by a small ceremony attended by representatives from the Irish Whiskey Association. Slane Castle Irish Whiskey Ltd. was purchased outright by the American wine + spirit giant Brown Forman, which subsequently announced it would invest approximately $50m building the new distillery and “consumer experience” on the grounds of the historic Slane Castle Estate in Co. Meath.
Miriam Mooney, head of the Irish Whiskey Association, said the project was another sign of the growth in the Irish Whiskey industry, which is aiming for double-digit growth in the coming years. According to “Vision for Irish Whiskey”, the Association’s strategy document published earlier this year, employment in the industry is set to grow by 30% in the next ten years, while whiskey tourism will grow from 600,000 per annum to 800,000 per annum in the coming years. Meanwhile, exports of Irish whiskey have more than doubled in the past decade, and are expected to double again before 2030.
“Irish whiskey is one of the oldest spirit drinks in Europe,” Mooney said. “It is a premium product that can only be made on the island of Ireland, and now it is the fastest growing spirits category in the world. The potential is massive when it comes to bringing investment and employment into rural areas.”
The new facility is expected to open by the end of 2016, employing approximately 25 people.
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