Cooley Distillery facts for kids
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| Location | County Louth |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 53°59′47.9″N 6°13′17.6″W / 53.996639°N 6.221556°W |
| Owner | Beam Suntory (ultimately Suntory) |
| Founded | 1987 |
| Founder | John Teeling |
| Status | Operating |
| No. of stills | 2 pot stills (wash still: 16,000 L, spirit still: 16,000 L; 3 column stills) |
| Connemara Peated Single Malt | |
| Cask type(s) | Bourbon Casks |
| ABV | 40% |
| Kilbeggan Blend | |
| Cask type(s) | Fresh Bourbon Casks, small portion in 2nd and 3rd |
| ABV | 40% |
| Tyrconnell Single Malt | |
| Cask type(s) | Bourbon Casks |
| ABV | 43% |
Cooley Distillery is a famous place in County Louth, Ireland, where they make different kinds of Irish whiskey. It's located on the beautiful Cooley Peninsula. This distillery was started in 1987 by a man named John Teeling. He turned an old factory that used to make potato alcohol into a whiskey distillery. Today, Cooley Distillery is owned by a big company called Beam Suntory.
Contents
History of Cooley Distillery
How Cooley Distillery Started
In 1985, John Teeling bought an old factory. This factory used to make a strong alcoholic drink called schnapps from potatoes. In less than two years, John Teeling changed the factory. He added two special machines called column stills to make whiskey.
In 1998, Cooley Distillery won a special award. It received a trophy from the International Wine and Spirit Competition (IWSC). This award was for its amazing quality and good reputation. Cooley was the first distillery ever to get this trophy.
Changes in Ownership
On December 16, 2011, a company called Beam Inc. announced something big. They planned to buy Cooley Distillery for about 95 million US dollars. The sale was completed a month later, in January 2012.
Later, in 2014, Beam Inc. was bought by a Japanese company named Suntory Holdings. Because of this, Cooley Distillery became part of a new company called Beam Suntory. After this change, it became harder for visitors to tour the distillery. Public tours are not available anymore.
New Distilleries from the Founder
After selling Cooley, John Teeling started a new distillery. He named it the Great Northern Distillery. It is located in the nearby town of Dundalk.
His two younger children, Jack and Stephen, also started their own company. It's called the Teeling Whiskey Company in Dublin. They used whiskey they got from Cooley to start their brands. They also built their own new distillery, the Teeling Distillery.
Whiskey Products from Cooley
Cooley Distillery makes several types of whiskey. Each one has its own special qualities.
Current Whiskey Brands
- Kilbeggan – This is a blended whiskey. It means it's a mix of different whiskeys. Kilbeggan was first made at the Kilbeggan Distillery. Cooley bought that distillery in 1987. You can find Kilbeggan in different ages, like 15-year-old or 18-year-old versions.
- Kilbeggan Single Grain – This whiskey used to be called Greenore. It's a special type called a single grain whiskey. It's made mostly from corn. It gets its flavor by aging in special barrels called Bourbon casks. You can find Kilbeggan Single Grain in different ages, like 6, 8, 15, or 18 years old.
- Connemara – This is a peated single malt whiskey. "Peated" means it has a smoky flavor. Most Irish whiskeys are distilled three times, but Connemara is distilled only twice. This helps keep more of its unique flavor. It also ages in Bourbon casks.
- The Tyrconnell – This is another single malt whiskey. Cooley bought this brand in 1988. It had not been made since 1925, when the original factory closed.
- 2 Gingers – This is a blended whiskey. It was started in 2011 by a businessman named Kieran Folliard. Beam Inc. bought the 2 Gingers Whiskey Co. a year after it first came out.
Discontinued Products
Cooley used to make a special type of Irish spirit called poitín. It was available in some shops and at Dublin Airport. However, this product is no longer made. Another whiskey called Michael Collins, made for the US market, was also stopped after Beam bought the distillery in 2012.
How Whiskey is Made at Cooley
The Distillation Process
At Cooley Distillery, they use two main types of equipment to make whiskey: column stills and pot stills. These machines help separate the alcohol from other liquids.
Most other Irish whiskeys are distilled, or heated and cooled, three times. But Cooley's whiskeys are usually distilled only twice. The people at Cooley believe that distilling it a third time can remove some of the important flavors. So, they do it twice to keep more of the taste.
Awards and Recognition
Cooley's Achievements
Cooley Distillery has won many awards since it opened. They have received over 300 medals!
Some of their top awards include:
- "European Distiller of the Year" in 2008 and 2009 from the International Wine and Spirit Competition.
- "Distillery of the Year" in 2008 from the International Wine and Spirit Competition.
- "Distillery of the Year" in 2010 from Malt Advocate magazine.
Their individual whiskey products have also won many awards:
- Kilbeggan won "Best in Class" in 2005.
- The Tyrconnell won a Gold Medal in 2004.
- Greenore won a Gold Medal and "Best in Class" in 2010.
- Greenore also won "Best in Class" at the World Whiskies Awards in 2011 and 2012.
