Ireland: Amber Beverage Group to invest €35 million in new whiskey distillery

Global spirits firm Amber Beverage Group (ABG) has announced plans to invest €35 million ($35.9 million) in a new distillery for its Walsh whiskey business in Dunleckney, Ireland.

The new facility will become the home for the premium brand Writers’ Tears and The Irishman, and is expected to reach a production capacity of 4 million litres of pure alcohol annually.

Commenting on the investment, ABG CEO Jekaterina Stuge said: “This is ABG’s second major investment in the fast-growing Irish whiskey category following our acquisition of Walsh Whiskey and its super-premium Irish whiskey brands, Writers’ Tears and The Irishman, in 2021. Once commissioned our distillery will enable ABG to become one of the major global producers of Irish whiskey”.

Walsh Whiskey founder and managing director Bernard Walsh added: “Located in the heart of Ireland’s barley growing region, with its own supply of natural water, the 18th century riverside location of Dunleckney has been a special location for producing drink and food since the 1700s. Milled corn, beer, and malted grain have all been produced at this site, so whiskey is a natural progression”.

Construction is expected to begin in 2024 and the plant is projected to be operational by 2026.

Source: Amber Beverage Group / FoodBev