Monday, March 15, 2021

MICIL DISTILLS GALWAY'S FIRST IRISH WHISKEY IN OVER 100 YEARS

The Micil Distillery, has today announced that is distilling and laying down casks of Galway’s first Irish whiskey in over a century. 

Sixth generation Connemara distillers Pádraic and Jimín Ó Griallais, are following a family tradition going back over 170 years, when their great-great-great grandfather, Micil Mac Chearra, began distilling on a hillside in South Connemara.

Pádraic and Jimín Ó Griallais


Galway has always been unique in the history of Irish whiskey, as it can boast not one but two great distilling traditions. The county was home to the many large distilleries of the city and its surrounding towns, and during the late 1700s there were 22 distilleries in Galway. 

The city’s importance as a port with historic wine and sherry trade links to France, Spain and Portugal provided the distilleries with a wealth of casks to choose from when it came to aging and finishing their whiskey. 

Commenting on the news, Pádraic Ó Griallais. Founder of the Micil Distillery, said: ‘‘I founded Micil Distillery in 2016 in honour of my great, great, great grandfather Micil, with the dream of being the first in my family to distil legally. The success of Micil Irish Poitín, Micil Heritage Peated Poitín, and the multi-award-winning Micil Irish Gin has enabled us to move into the next phase of our growth plan and begin laying down Irish whiskey. In January 2021 we filled our first casks with the new make spirit which will be Galway’s first Irish whiskey in over a century. Our family has over 170 years of craft distillation knowhow, the longest continuous family distillation heritage in Ireland, and it brings us tremendous pride to be building on this legacy by bringing Irish whiskey back to Galway.’’

The Micil Distillery, which currently produces award-wining Poitín and Gin, will be releasing two initial independently bottled Irish whiskeys in the Summer of 2021, while their own whiskey matures for a minimum of three years.


Posted by Steve Rush