Boatyard Gin takes off at Dublin Airport
Boatyard Double Gin in Fermanagh has just gone on sale at Dublin International Airport's hugely successful Duty Free. The airport is rated by passengers as among the best in the world in terms of traveller experience and handled 28 million passengers last year on flights to and from 41 countries by almost 50 airlines.
Boatyard Gin, produced at a craft distillery near Enniskillen in county Fermanagh, is supplying its unique and award-winning gin to Aer Rianta International, owner of Dublin International.
Joe McGirr, chief executive of Boatyard Gin, which takes its name from a former boatyard that he converted into a state-of-the-art craft distillery, says: 'We were delighted to have secured this hugely significant listing for our first product, Boatyard Double Gin, at such an important and busy location that will showcase the gin to millions of travellers. It carries forward our successful launch at Belfast International Airport.
"Dublin International Airport moves the gin onto another level. We will be working with the airport on promotional and sampling initiatives to raise awareness of our premium quality gin and, of course, to boost sales to the millions of passengers to the US, Europe, Asia and the Middle East. It's a tremendous business opportunity for us," he adds.
Founded by Mr McGirr, an experienced spirit distiller, in 2015, Boatyard Gin is made with spirit from organically grown wheat. The botanicals include juniper, coriander, lemon, angelica, orris, liquorice, grains of paradise and a special botanical taken from the Fermanagh based family farm known as Sweet Gale.
Boatyard Double Gin (ABV 46% and available in distinctive 70cl bottles), is the first in Fermanagh for 130 years, and the distillery overlooks picturesque Lough Erne in Northern Ireland's Lakelands.
McGirr has held management posts within the distilling industry for over 15 years with Glenmorangie and Moet Hennessy before setting up Boatyard.
In 2014, he joined the London Distillery Company as chief operating officer and had always hoped to move back to his native Fermanagh.
The concept for The Boatyard Distillery was born three years ago with the simple ethos to create award winning spirits from local raw materials. Since then, Joe and his team have built the concept through to location, engineering, planning permission, HMRC bonded spirit approval, spirit creation and branding. The distillery won an international spirits award last year for the distinctive bottle design.
"The production of the base spirit, and the careful selection of local botanical ingredients give Boatyard Gin a distinctive taste profile to stand out against competitors in the market," he says.
The company has also won listings in Dublin with the Celtic Whiskey Shop and Speciality Drinks in London.
Boatyard Gin has a thriving on-trade business supplying its top-quality gin to an ever-increasing number of the UK's finest hotels, Michelin-starred restaurants and world-famous style bars.
