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Blackwater Distillery, scheduled to open in Cappoquin in November 2014.

The first distillery to operate in Waterford in 174 years will open in Cappoquin next month. Blackwater Distillery will become the first distillery in the county since 1840, according to the company’s director, Peter Mulryan.

A writer and broadcaster, with several published books on whiskeys and spirits, Mr Mulryan’s family have a long tradition in the alcohol producing business. His parents met in Waterford, where his father worked in a brewery, while his uncle was the chief brewer at the globally renowned Anheuser-Busch brewery in St Louis, USA.

“There’s a family history there, that I’ve written about spirits in numerous books, I’ve worked in the area in Scotland and various places like that around the world, so it’s in the genes somewhere,” he told The Avondhu this week.

EASY CHOICE

He said the choice to open the business in Cappoquin was a ‘no brainer’: “I’m from Conna, but West Waterford is a new, happening place for food. If you had a choice where to go right now, West Waterford is the place to be.”

Initially Blackwater Distillery will produce a gin product, and overtime will work on recipes for whiskey.

“Whiskey is a more long-term project, it can take about three years for it to be called whiskey – there’s maturation and a lot of work with it. We’ve been working on a gin recipe for nine months, with colleagues in Scotland and America, so it’s been a bit of a team effort and we’ve finally got one that’s worked. We had a blind tasting recently in Mulligan's in Dublin and it went really well, so we’re pleased with that.”

SPIN-OFF EMPLOYMENT

Some local employment, Mr Mulryan said, will be produced from the start-up, but it’s greatest effect on the wider economy comes through indirect employment.

“Brewery’s are strange in that way, they aren’t massive direct employers but what they’re very good for is indirect employment, like the suppliers, builders, transport, couriers, bars and hotels.

“We just have one and a half people employed from the get go, and we’ll look to double that amount in our first year,” he added.

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