Drumshanbo Gunpowder Gin aims for €3m

Connacht’s first-ever gin is set to generate sales of over €3 million in 2016 through with its Drumshanbo Gunpowder Gin, the first batch of which was distilled on 21st December 2015, the Winter Solstice, at The Shed Handcraft Distillery in the small rural village of Drumshanbo, County Leitrim.

100,000 litres of the new ‘super-premium’ gin will be produced at the distillery next year, contributing to much-needed job creation in Drumshanbo.

The Shed has six permanent staff members currently (including a Head Distiller and Assistant Distiller) and expects to provide a total of 10 permanent positions and up to 10 part-time positions when at maximum production in 2017.

The Shed Visitor Experience also expects to attract up to 3,000 visitors in 2016 when fully operational, providing a major boost to the local economy.

The Shed marks a return to traditional distillation using medieval copper stills and is the first multi-purpose distillery of its kind in Ireland.

Supported by Bord Bia’s Consumer Insight Team, Drumshanbo Gunpowder Gin is handcrafted through slow distillation in a gleaming medieval copper pot still fired by steam. The method combines vapour distillation of fresh citrus fruits with a special selection of oriental botanicals including spiced gunpowder tea and local Drumshanbo meadowsweet.

The gin market is experiencing steady growth with gin consumption in Europe alone forecast to increase by 12.3% by 2019 according to Euromonitor International. The gin will be showcased at the ProWein trade show in Dusseldorf in March.

Over 70% of the boutique Irish whiskey produced at The Shed Distillery is already on international pre-order, representative of a growing international demand for high quality handcrafted spirits.

Filled with experiments and recipes for herbaceous gins, potato vodkas, handcrafted Irish Pot Still and Single Malt Irish whiskey and new liqueurs, The Shed Distillery, Connacht’s first distillery in 101 years, is the brainchild of Patrick J Rigney, inventor of Sheridan’s Irish Cream liqueur and Boru Vodka.

He believes Ireland’s international reputation as a producer of premium quality Irish Whiskey paves a strong international route to market for a super-premium new Irish gin.

“The international market is now looking for super-premium brands that stand apart, with unique heritage and unrivalled quality & taste,” he stated recently, “There’s huge international excitement about this new handcrafted gin and we already have some pre-orders from China.”

Over the past 12 months The Shed has produced 120,000 litres of boutique Single Irish Pot Still and Single Malt Irish whiskey, the first of which matures on Winter Solstice (21st December) 2017.