New Midleton Distillery facts for kids

The New Midleton Distillery is a large factory located in Midleton, County Cork, Ireland. It started making Irish whiskey in 1975. This distillery is owned by Irish Distillers, which is part of a bigger company called Pernod Ricard. Right next to it is the Old Midleton Distillery, which began operating a long time ago in the early 1600s. The old distillery is now a popular place for visitors called the Jameson Experience.

History of Midleton Distillery

In 1966, three big Irish whiskey companies decided to join together. These were John Power & Son, John Jameson & Son, and the Cork Distilleries Company. They formed a new group called Irish Distillers. The leaders of this new company decided to close their older factories. They wanted to build one large, modern factory to make all their whiskey.

They chose Midleton because it was the only place with enough space to build a huge new distillery. In July 1975, the old Jameson factory in Dublin stopped making whiskey. Production then began at the brand-new Midleton Distillery. The old factory in Dublin also became a visitor center. Since 2010, the Midleton Distillery has grown a lot. Irish Distillers has invested over €200 million to make the factory even bigger. They also built a new storage area for whiskey in a nearby village called Dungourney.

How Whiskey is Made at Midleton

The Midleton Distillery is one of the most modern whiskey-making places in the world. Its different production areas are connected by special fiber-optic cables. The distillery has three very large pot stills. Each of these can hold 75,000 liters, making them the biggest in the world. It also has three column stills. These different types of stills are used together to create many kinds of whiskey.

This distillery can produce a huge amount of whiskey, up to 64 million liters every year. This makes it the largest distillery in all of Ireland. The Midleton Distillery also has a smaller, special distillery inside it. This "micro distillery" has tiny pot stills. It can make about 50,000 liters of alcohol each year. This smaller section is often used for experimenting with new whiskey types.

Visiting the Distillery

The New Midleton Distillery is located right next to the Old Midleton Distillery. The old distillery is now home to a special place called the Jameson Experience. This is a visitor center where people can learn about the history of Jameson Whiskey.

The tour tells the story of Jameson through recreated scenes from the original distillery in Dublin. There are also exhibition areas that show the seven steps of making whiskey. Visitors can watch a video that shows what the distillery was like when its creator, John Jameson, was alive. Some visitors can even take part in a special taste test. They compare Jameson Whiskey with Scottish whisky and American whiskey. If they pass the test, they become a "Qualified Irish Whiskey Taster."

In 2013, a new Irish Whiskey Academy opened on the grounds of the Midleton Distillery. This academy offers courses lasting one to three days. These courses teach people about Irish whiskey. They are for whiskey fans, journalists, and others who work in the drinks industry. The old Master Distillers House on the grounds also keeps the official historical records for all the Irish Distillers whiskey brands.

Whiskeys Made at Midleton

Because the distillery can use different combinations of its stills, it can make many different types of whiskey. Some of the most famous brands produced here include:

• Jameson - This is the best-selling Irish whiskey around the world.
• Powers
• Paddy
• Redbreast
• Midleton Very Rare - In September 2014, the distillery made a very special limited edition of this whiskey. Only 117 bottles were made to celebrate 30 years of Midleton Irish Whiskey.
• Green Spot
• Red Spot
• Yellow Spot
• Blue Spot

Other Products Made Here

Besides whiskey, the Midleton Distillery also produces other drinks:

• Cork Dry Gin
• Huzzar Vodka

See also

• Cooley Distillery
• Irish whiskey brands
• Old Bushmills Distillery