Once completed, Midleton Distillery will be transformed into a world-class, multi-sensory whiskey experience destination with the potential to attract over 200,000 visitors annually.
Irish Distillers has revealed a €13m investment plan aimed at redeveloping its distillery experience at Midleton Distillery into a world-class whiskey destination.
Midleton Distiller is home to some of the world’s best-known Irish whiskeys including Jameson, Powers, Redbreast, Midleton Very Rare, the Spot family and Method and Madness, as well as the Irish Whiskey Academy, Irish Distillers’ Archive and the Micro Distillery.
“We are confident that we can further build upon the appeal of Midleton Distillery for both domestic and international visitors, cementing its position as one of the top tourism attractions in Ireland while supporting jobs and economic growth in the East Cork region”
As part of the plan, the existing attraction will be completely transformed to accommodate new and interactive whiskey tours and various tasting experiences, offering visitors the opportunity to explore more about the past, present and future of Irish whiskey production at Midleton Distillery.
Blending 200 years of excellence with the future
The redevelopment will also deliver state-of-the-art new shopping, bar, café and restaurant facilities.
In order to ensure that visitors receive the same great experience while construction is ongoing, an alternative purpose-built Irish whiskey attraction will continue to welcome visitors during the redevelopment.
Construction will commence immediately and is expected be completed by 2025, in time to mark the 200-year anniversary of Midleton Distillery.
New York headquartered Ralph Appelbaum Associates, who have specialist experience in the planning and design of cultural attractions around the world, will lead the design of the redevelopment project.
PJ Hegarty & Sons have been appointed as conservation and construction contractor
“Over the past 30 years, Midleton Distillery has become synonymous with Irish whiskey tourism, welcoming more than three million visitors from countries all over the world to our home in East Cork,” said Irish Distillers’ CEO and chair Conor McQuaid.
“At Irish Distillers, we are always looking towards the future of Irish whiskey, which is why we are delighted to announce our plans for the redevelopment of the distillery experience at Midleton. Our ambition is to deliver an exceptional, world-class experiential offering which will bring whiskey lovers closer to the production process than ever before.
“These exciting plans will ensure that the distillery experience offers visitors a unique insight into the whiskeys produced at Midleton Distillery in exceptionally beautiful and engaging surroundings. We are confident that we can further build upon the appeal of Midleton Distillery for both domestic and international visitors, cementing its position as one of the top tourism attractions in Ireland while supporting jobs and economic growth in the East Cork region.
“As we are committed to preserving and maintaining the beauty of the original distillery buildings, many of which date back to 1794, our redevelopment plan is centred around the conservation and restoration of existing structures, while transforming our visitor attraction to accommodate new and interactive whiskey tours and exciting tasting experiences. The redevelopment will therefore marry the old and the new, making improvements and upgrades to preserve the fabric of these buildings, all of which will ultimately contribute to an immersive and unique visitor experience,” McQuaid said.
