Distilleries are a familiar concept in Ireland. Back in the day, however, few people other than those working in one would enter into such a hall of alchemy. Most were content to wait for the product to imbibe in a hostelry, or at home.
These times, however, tours of distilleries are commonplace, with visitors coming from near and far. Sometimes very far. So consider a distillery where you can roll into, park your car, and order a beer - and a slice of pizza.
This combo is on offer at Blacks Distillery which sits a short distance outside the historic town of Kinsale in County Cork. Up and running since March, 2024, Black’s new and expanded facility produces said beer, gin, vodka and of course its signature whiskies beside the banks of the Bandon River.
You can spot seals in the river while you sip, sup or bite in what is presented to the visitor as Ireland’s “First Co-Located Brewery and Distillery.”
Where tradition meets state of the art distilling.
Now a designated driver is of course a good idea, though it is possible to walk to Blacks from Kinsale. Blacks is located at the beginning or end of the Wild Atlantic Way, depending on which way you are traveling.
Part of its address even has an air of mystery as it is to be found alongside the “Black Lagoon.”
Be it at the beginning of the end of the Wild Atlantic Way the distillery’s story has one central starting point. Founders, husband and wife duo Sam and Maud Black, began their journey in 2013.
What started as a hobby, after Sam was gifted a home brewing kit for Valentine’s Day, quickly became, according to the Blacks website, “an obsession and a burning desire to experiment and create.”
States the website: “It is this enthusiasm and drive that saw Blacks Brewery become a reality. Our mission is to escape the mundane of the mass market by producing beers with passion, personality and lots of hops.
We have a seven strong core range, but are constantly creating new recipes and quirky flavor combinations, releasing anywhere from 6 to 10 experimental beers a year.
“In 2015 we expanded and added our state-of-the-art Distillery, where we produce a range of boutique spirits including Gin, Rum and Whiskey. This crossover between Brewery and Distillery is unique and gives us the option to age our beers in spirit barrels and vice versa to improve the depth of flavour.
Distilling away.
Our first bottle of Blacks Irish Gin hit shelves in 2015, and we made history in 2018 with the production of Blacks Spice Rum, Ireland’s first-ever rum, made entirely from start to finish in Ireland. “In 2019 we wished to open our doors and give others the opportunity to become part of our journey, and have their own distilling experience.
The Blacks Whiskey Founders Club gives whiskey enthusiasts the opportunity to purchase their own cask of whiskey and become part of the whiskey maturation process, open to only 500 members.
In 2020 we installed two copper whiskey stills and began production of our liquid gold.” That liquid gold, according to National Sales Manager Darren Murphy, is bound for the wider U.S. market after initial landings in New York and Rhode Island.
Distribution in the U.S. is handled by the distributor, Chattanooga, Tennessee-based Keepers-Quest, and Blacks is aiming to increase its product distribution across an expanding number of states in 2025 and beyond.
And that U.S. market, in the form of visitors, is also being invited to Kinsale, both those arriving on their own steam, or by way of tour operators. Blacks is planning to welcome thousands of such visitors in 2025 and the distillery has the capacity to entertain and educate on a grand scale.
“Visitors get a genuine feel for our distillery and its products by meeting with the people who actually produce the whiskey when they undertake our guided tours,” said Darren Murphy. Visitors also enjoy the locations of the distillery beside the Bandon River.
As stated, they can sit outside, eat and drink, and watch seals who swim up the river from the sea, according to Chief Commercial Officer Damien Cremin.
Blacks on a busy day.
Blacks sources local barley for malting and works on maintaining a very close relationship with the town of Kinsale. It is possible to walk from the town to the distillery in about 25 minutes. Many of the visitors are peripatetic locals, particularly at weekends. “It takes time to build up a business, but we’re going in the right direction,” says Damien Cremin.
Location, in this instance, is also a key factor in the progress of a company that feels most comfortable in its home place, even as it reaches out to the wider world. More at www. blacksbrewery.com
