Irish Distillers announces €13 million Midleton Distillery visitor attraction redevelopment
As part of the plan, the existing attraction will be completely transformed to accommodate new and interactive whiskey tours and various tasting experiences with the potential to attract over 200,000 visitors annually.
Midleton is home to some of the world’s most well-known Irish whiskeys including Jameson, Powers, Redbreast, Midleton Very Rare, the Spot family and Method & Madness as well as the Irish Whiskey Academy, Irish Distillers’ Archive and the Micro Distillery.
As part of the plan, the existing attraction will be completely transformed to accommodate new and interactive whiskey tours and various tasting experiences with the potential to attract over 200,000 visitors annually, offering visitors the opportunity to explore more about the past, present and future of Irish whiskey production at Midleton Distillery. The redevelopment will also deliver state-of-the-art new shopping, bar, café and restaurant facilities.
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 to be completed by 2025, in time to mark the 200-year anniversary of the Midleton Distillery which has welcomed over three million visitors from around the world.
“At Irish Distillers, we’re always looking towards the future of Irish whiskey,” said Irish Distillers’ Chairman and Chief Executive Conor McQuaid, “We’re 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’re 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,” he concluded.
Every element of the redevelopment has been planned with sustainability and efficiency in mind. The new visitor experience will feature a specially-designed heat recovery system, meaning that excess energy from the production process will be used to heat the buildings.
The introduction of the heat recovery system is predicted to reduce carbon emissions by nearly 200,000 Kg of CO2 per year, in line with Irish Distillers’ sustainability goals. Additionally, the switch to LED lighting throughout – close to 1,000 bulbs – will ensure a reduction in electricity consumption of over 90% compared to existing usage.
