The Connacht Distillery story starts on the northwest coast of Ireland, in the wild, rugged, landscape of County Mayo in the province of Connacht.

Founded by Master Distiller Robert Cassell and a team that saw the potential in Irish whiskey, the derelict old Duffy’s bakery site in Ballina was painstakingly renovated, with whiskey production commencing in 2016.

Situated where the River Moy’s pure, fresh, water rushes down to meet the in-flowing salty Atlantic Ocean, dramatic shifts in atmospheric pressure exert an ever-changing influence on the whiskey maturing in our barrels.

Our Gift shop times are 12pm – 5pm Tuesday – Friday. Tours are currently available by appointment only. Please email hello@connachtwhiskey.com

about connacht distillery

fine irish whiskey, crafted by the atlantic

The Connacht Distillery sits on the banks of the beautiful River Moy where the river widens into the Moy Estuary in Ballina, County Mayo. Here we distill and barrel-age our spirits in a rural, coastal environment unique to the West of Ireland.

our distillery & process

the connacht distillery is a totally self-contained 2500m2 facility. we prepare our mash, ferment, distill, age, and bottle our spirits all on site.

the distillery houses our three copper pot stills, which were custom designed by our master distiller, robert cassell, for the sole purpose of making great whiskey. we had our stills made to these specifications in victoria, british columbia, canada by the very experienced specific mechanical systems. the dimensions of our stills, particularly their necks and heads, are different than others being used in ireland, ensuring that our whiskey also will be unique and special.

We are not only proud of our unique stills, but we are also pleased with Connacht’s malt handling and brewing equipment made in Germany by ROLEC, the best craft brewing equipment manufacturer. The custom-made equipment combines the high efficiency and high capacity of modern beer brewing with the traditional brewing and fermentation processes needed for making fine whiskey.

the distillery’s barrel room houses casks full of our whiskey; here our whiskey slowly matures. our irish whiskey never leaves our control and remains along the banks of the moy, enjoying and benefiting from the unique terroir of our western irish setting.

our location

The island of Ireland historically has been divided into four provinces and 32 counties, each of which has its own unique charm and long-standing traditions. Our distillery is located in the province of Connacht, the county of Mayo, and the town of Ballina.

For our non-Irish visitors, these locations are pronounced as:

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