Whiskey developments in Northern Ireland boost growth

Northern Ireland's whiskey distilleries are now attracting more than 120,000 visitors every year and are on line to hit the 200,000 mark in the near future, according to the Irish Whiskey Association (IWA).

Visitor centres at three Northern Ireland distilleries - Old Bushmills in county Antrim and Echlinville and Rademon Estate, both in county Down - are helping to boost sales, increase awareness of Irish whiskey and create new employment opportunities.

Old Bushmills, said to be the world's oldest licensed distillery, has been operating a successful visitor centre for more than a decade and is the best known and most frequently visited centre. Rademon Estate in Crossgar, county Down is the most recent distillery to open a purpose-built visitor centre. While the small batch producer is best known for its Shortcross Gin, a malt whiskey is set to be launched soon.

Echlinville, based near Kircubbin in county Down, is the home of the historic Dunville malt and blended Irish whiskey.

A fourth visitor centre will open later in the year at The Quiet Man distillery in Derry. It is already marketing successfully its single malt and blended whiskey.

In addition, a purpose-built distillery and museum is being planned by a prominent Belfast businessman.

The potential of the distilleries in Northern Ireland is highlighted has been pinpointed in the recently launched IWA Regional Whiskey Tourism Strategy.

IWA's strategy for distilleries in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland is to treble the number of visitors to 1.9 million by 2025, delivering £1.1 billion annually to towns across the island creating hundreds of jobs.

Miriam Mooney, IWA head, said: "Irish whiskey distilleries are positioning themselves as key tourist attractions. Already, The Old Bushmills Distillery and Echlinville Distillery are succeeding in attracting more than 120,000 visitors every year."

Until recently, The Old Bushmills Distillery was the only distillery in the region. There are now three Irish whiskey distilleries in production and soon there will be four operating across counties Antrim, Derry and Down.

"We believe that the number of whiskey tourists travelling to Northern Ireland may exceed 200,000 visitors every year. Local distilleries will play an integral role in making Ireland the world's number one whiskey tourism destination," she adds.

It is estimated that local distilleries will soon support 155 direct jobs across Northern Ireland and many more jobs will be created in the hospitality sector as a result.

"It is vital that the Irish Whiskey Association can work together with tourism authorities on both sides of the border to ensure the future success of Irish whiskey tourism and support the growth of distilleries across the island," adds Colum Egan, chair of the Irish Whiskey Association and Master Distiller at Old Bushmills Distillery.

Irish whiskey is protected by a geographical indicator, meaning that it can only be produced on the island of Ireland and the Irish Whiskey Tourism Strategy takes an all-island approach to promoting whiskey tourism.

Food NI, the food and drink promotion body in Northern Ireland is working alongside IWA on the implementation of the strategy.