The first distillery to operate in Waterford for over 174 years is about to be commissioned and come into operation this week. Blackwater Distillery Ltd., based at the Enterprise Park in Cappoquin, is about to begin the distilling of a quality gin, produced in relatively small quantities, but to the very highest quality, according to Peter Mulryan, one of four directors of the new company.

Mr Mulryan, who spent over 30 years in television, with both BBC and RTE, producing programmes which included celebrities such as James Martin, Richard Corrigan and Paul Flynn, developed a yen to become involved in the art of distilling after spending years writing on the subject of good quality whiskey and gin, etc.

“Centuries old legislation regarding the ‘distilling’ of spirits was always a deterrent to would-be entrepreneurs, making it difficult for any company to become involved in their production, however recent amendments to the ‘Victorian’ laws have made it somewhat easier and subsequently, Blackwater Distillery Ltd. has become the third micro distillery to open in Ireland in the recent past,” added Mr Mulryan.

‘IN THE GENES’

Peter Mulryan is not entirely entering the alcohol business in an uninformed manner. “I do have a family background in the industry. My father worked in a Waterford brewery and my uncle was the chief-brewer with the famous Anheuser Busch Brewery based in St Louis, Missouri, USA. It must be in the genes,” added Mr Mulryan.

The new operation, costing a six figure sum and with full support of the Local Enterprise Office in Dungarvan, is just about to come on stream, initially producing top of the range ‘London Dry Gin’, with the intention of progressing to distilling quality whiskey in the future. According to Peter Mulryan, gin can be produced in a relatively short time compared to whiskey, which, after distilling, needs to lie and mature in casks for at least three years. Initially the company will concentrate on gin production, which will create some immediate cash flow and ‘London Dry Gin’, regarded as the highest form of gin production, should start to flow from their factory in Cappoquin very soon.

EXACTING PROCESS

Surprisingly and unlike many well known gins, the process to be used in Blackwater Distillery gin production, initially involves the production of vodka - which is then distilled yet again into gin, however it’s not all as simple as that, because the secret of producing a top quality ‘London Dry Gin’ is an exacting process which includes the adding of a variety of special ingredients including juniper berries, coriander, orange and lemon peel, which during the process are ‘stripped’ of their essential oils. Getting the balance right with these ingredients to produce a quality gin has taken considerable time, much effort and a fair bit of tasting!

After eight months of product testing, trial and error and fine-tuning - ‘Blackwater No. 5 London Dry Gin’ is now at the production stage.

“Phase one is to get the gin production under way as soon as possible to provide cash flow and we are hoping that this can happen before Christmas. We have a national distribution operation prepared and awaiting and we are looking at all marketing aspects, including exports which I hope will become a big item,” says Mr Mulryan.

Everything is ready to go – a distinctive bottle awaits filling and labelling, boxes await filling ready for the market. There remains one or two outstanding items to attend to, however it is expected that production will commence in time to catch some Christmas trade.

The equipment used by Blackwater Distillery in the production of spirits is surprisingly small, but there is logic in that. “We have two types of ‘still’ in situ at present. The large one can hold up to 500 litres and the smaller unit 250 litres. Switching from one ‘still’ to another is a relatively simple matter and keeps us versatile and in complete control of production”.

The ‘stills’ are designed to EU specification, with one being made in Holland and the other in China. Copper is used extensively in the building of the stills and condenser and is an important part of producing good quality spirits. The copper metal has some intrinsic value in producing a ‘good tasting, smooth’ spirit and seeing it used in such a manner brings to mind the number of old hostelries that are named ‘The Copper Still’ or similar, proving that our long gone brewers and distillers knew many of the secrets long, long ago!

Although the distilling process at Blackwater Distillery will produce some local employment from the start up, the numbers will not be great, because the nature of the brewing and distilling industry precludes great numbers, however greater benefits will come in an indirect manner from other areas in the local economy such as building work, suppliers, transport and in the long term, tourism.

WORLDWIDE DEMAND

Rising global gin sales should provide an excellent base for the success of Blackwater Distillery, with the drink finding favour both home and abroad. According to reliable sources the global gin market rose by almost six percent last year to just under €4.7 billion with premium brands, such as Blackwater No 5 London Dry Gin, becoming more and more fashionable among younger drinkers. The move from vodka to gin is also reflected in sales according to many outlets, with many of them stocking twice as many brands of gin as they carried 15 to 20 years ago.

The future looks very bright indeed for Blackwater Distillery Ltd., and with possibility of producing a top quality whiskey already under review along with other marketing aspects being considered the long term future for the company looks assured. Further information on Blackwater Distillery is available at www.blackwaterdistillery.ie

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