Blackwater becomes Ireland's 21st whiskey distillery



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Cranes dotting horizons, promises of tax cuts, and Mick McCarthy is the Irish manager – the good times seem to be back. And that certainly seems to be the case for the Irish whiskey industry, which is expected to sell more than ten million cases this year for the first time since before prohibition in the United States.

The Waterford Blackwater Distillery is now the 21st Irish whiskey distillery operational, and this figure of 21 is up from only four at the beginning of the decade.

The head of the Irish Whiskey Association (IWA), William Lavelle, said that the Irish whiskey industry "has come a long way".

He said growth was driven by "consumers worldwide who flock to our products.

"This was motivated by mbadive investments in the sector, driven in particular by Irish Distillers and William Grant, who are successfully opening up new markets."

Most Irish whiskey sales are outside of Ireland, while many of these new distilleries are historic destinations, offering tours and more to attract a tourist market.

"95.5% of our product is sold for export, so we are a booming global category," Lavelle said.

"Indeed, Irish Whiskey has consolidated its position as the fastest growing premium alcohol category in the world and I think that's one thing we should be very proud of in Ireland, "he added.

According to IWA, sales of Irish whiskey in the United States continued to show strong growth in 2018, while major markets, including Germany, Australia and Canada , behaved very well for the category.

With regard to tourism attracted by the growth of Irish Whiskey, he said: "Last year, 814,000 visitors visited reception centers and brands in distilleries. Irish Whiskey – this figure will be even higher this year. "

In the case of Blackwater, like most new whiskey distilleries, they still produce gin and usually start distilling it before their whiskey stocks are ready for sale.

The president of the Irish Whiskey Association has stated that it is an expensive undertaking in which to build and build a distillery "is not cheap and after that it takes a minimum of three years of maturation for you to sell your product.

"SMEs entering the sector, seeking to diversify their business model, are looking for other sources of revenue.

"We know that gin is booming all over the world and that it is therefore a very practical product to produce."

But he added that Irish distilleries make a "world-clbad" gin and that Irish gin has a very good reputation.

Blackwater Distillery claims to be the first distillery in the world to adopt blockchain technology.

Each bottle of whiskey produced at the distillery will have a unique symbol that the customer can scan, giving them access to product information.

Mr. Lavelle said this initiative "reflects a growing trend in our industry, which is a strong commitment to authenticity and a commitment to transparency.

"As an industry, we have been working for 13 months with the Food Safety Authority on new guidelines regarding the labeling and marketing of Irish Whiskey, as we wish that consumers have the confidence and confidence that the product they buy is genuine.

"Some companies are doing this with the help of technologies such as blockchain.As an industry, we are working with the government to ensure the trust of consumers."

The new Ballyduff Distillery, near Lismore, in Co Waterford County, will open to the public early next year.

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