Northern Irish gin announces expansion and launch of new vodka

Boatyard Distillery in Northern Ireland, the producer of a unique double gin, is to expand production to help build export sales. The company has just announced an agreement to sell its gin in the US.

The small batch distillery, located near Enniskillen in county Fermanagh, is to supply its gin to New York, Illinois and Nevada. It also plans to launch a new vodka soon.

The distillery, founded by Joe McGirr, a drinks industry professional in 2016, has secured backing to increase production and fund working capital requirements in a move which will create jobs, support product development and help fulfil export contracts.

Situated at Tully Bay on the shores of Lough Erne, Boatyard Distillery currently produces a double gin, an Old Tom gin, is developing vodka and has casked whiskey for a new Irish whiskey.

The business has secured a £100,000 loan from the Growth Loan Fund. The investment involves the acquisition of two new stills.

Finance for the £50 million Growth Loan Fund - which provides loans to established Northern Ireland SMEs seeking to access growth finance - has been provided by Invest Northern Ireland and private investors, Northern Ireland Local Government Officers' Superannuation Committee (NILGOSC).

Mr McGirr, owner of The Boatyard Distillery, says: "The loan has enabled us to purchase two additional stills to increase the distillery's productivity.

"We've been working on our vodka product for the past year and we're excited to bring it to market this month. The wheat used in our vodka is harvested in Kildare and we can trace how it was grown by the farmer, right back to the field it was planted in.

"Our vodka's unique selling point is that it isn't filtered which helps preserve the taste and lock in the flavour.

"We recently launched our products in Switzerland and Denmark and in April we'll be launching in the US. We are exploring other markets and we'll also be introducing a gift range in the coming months.

"The marketplace is competitive but The Boatyard has differentiated its offering and the introduction of a vodka product will open the doors to a new customer base," he adds.

The company recently announced export orders to Denmark and Switzerland and has been on sale in the Republic of Ireland for over a year.

In addition to the loan from the Growth Loan Fund, Invest Northern Ireland backed CoFundNI, which is managed by Clarendon Fund Managers, provided equity funding alongside three local angel investors.