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Clonakilty Distillery Shines at Global Sustainability Awards

ESG Clonakilty DistilleryPictured (Centre) Helen and Michael Scully founders of Clonakilty Distillery, (L) Kate Wake-Walker and (R) Olly Wehring, Global Drinks Intel

Clonakilty Distillery clinched several awards at the Global Drinks Intel ESG Awards 2023, during a ceremony held recently in Cannes, France.

This unique awards program aims to recognise the accomplishments of drinks companies which are at the forefront of sustainability. Competing on the international stage against wineries and distilleries from around the globe, Clonakilty Distillery emerged as the sole recipient of awards and commendations in three distinct categories. They clinched the title for Best Sustainability Marketing Campaign with their initiative, “Our sustainability story is happening now, not in 2050.”

Karina Collins, Marketing Manager, explains, “As a company, we opted to set immediate public sustainability goals instead of distant targets. We launched this awareness campaign to underscore the significant strides we’ve taken to reduce our carbon footprint and instil sustainability in every facet of our operations. Our aim was to emphasise that climate change is an urgent matter, demanding immediate action from businesses.”

In an era where businesses face accusations of greenwashing, transparent commitments and tangible results serve as the most potent rebuttal.

Over the past year, Clonakilty Distillery has spearheaded noteworthy initiatives to fortify its sustainability practices. Notably, they revamped their bottles, which now weigh 22% less and are made from recycled glass. Additionally, the company phased out single-use plastic from their shipping materials and transitioned to 100% renewable energy for their distillation process.

On the Awards night, Clonakilty Distillery were also highly commended for Best Sustainable Spirits & Wine Products, as well as Best Sustainable Spirits & Wine Producer of the Year. Both awards categories highlight companies that clearly demonstrate their green credentials when it comes to products and overall business practices.

“These awards are a recognition of everyone on our team, as it takes an entire team effort to truly reach these results,” says CEO Michael Scully. “At Clonakilty Distillery, sustainability is at the heart of everything we do. We have adopted a grain-to-glass ethos, and oversee every step of the production process, from growing and harvesting our own grains to distilling, maturing, and bottling our spirits on-site.”

Earlier this year, Clonakilty Distillery was also awarded Gold Membership of Origin Green, the world’s only national food and drink sustainability program of its kind. Origin Green, an initiative of Bord Bia, bestows gold membership exclusively on companies that exhibit exceptional yearly performance across key areas such as raw material certification, packaging, energy consumption, emissions, and waste reduction.

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CLONAKILTY DISTILLERY

Clonakilty Distillery was founded in 2016, and produces award-winning whiskey, gin and vodka, in the heart of Clonakilty town.

GLOBAL DRINKS INTEL

Global Drinks Intel Magazine is a trade publication for the global drinks business read by over 16,000 industry decision-makers in more than 121 countries.

ORIGIN GREEN

Origin Green is the world’s only national food and drinks sustainability programme, enabling the industry to set and achieve measurable sustainability targets that respect the environment and serve local communities more effectively.

Find Us On Socials

Facebook:@clonakiltydistillery
Instagram:@clonakiltydistillery
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Clonakilty Distillery Awarded Gold Membership of Origin Green

Origin Green Gold Membership 2023 Clonakilty Distillery

Clonakilty Distillery Awarded Gold Membership of Origin Green

Clonakilty Distillery, situated in County Cork, Ireland, is proud to announce that it has been awarded Gold Membership of Origin Green, the world’s only national food and drink sustainability programme of its kind.

Origin Green, an initiative of Bord Bia, only bestows gold membership on companies that have demonstrated exceptional annual performance in areas such as raw material certification, packaging, energy, emissions, and waste reduction.

Michael Scully, CEO of Clonakilty Distillery, expressed his delight at receiving recognition from such a highly respected and independent organisation.

“We set ourselves ambitious targets and this gold membership,” he said, “stands as a testament to the dedication of our team in transforming those aspirations into tangible achievements. It also validates our ongoing efforts to become one of Ireland’s leading sustainable distilleries.'”

In the past year, Clonakilty Distillery has undertaken significant initiatives to bolster its sustainability practices. Notably, they redesigned their bottles which now weigh 22% less and are made with recycled glass.  The company also eliminated single-use plastic from their shipping packaging and transitioned their production process to utilise 100% renewable energy for distilling their spirits.

Lighter whiskey bottles

Scully added, “we have found new ways to use less water and source ingredients responsibly, while keeping 100% of our production operations within the local area, minimising our transport carbon footprint.”

Karina Collins, Marketing Manager at Clonakilty Distillery, emphasised the company’s commitment to sustainability. “As a company,” she said, “we took the decision to make our sustainability goals more immediate, rather than committing to distant dates.”

According to a recent report from Accenture, while over one-third of the world’s largest companies have committed to Net Zero targets, an overwhelming majority (93%) will fall short of their goals unless they double the pace of emissions reduction by 2030. [1]

“As a small company, we may not be able to save the world. But what we can do is make a measurable difference today, at our edge of the Atlantic Ocean,” Collins added.

For more information about Clonakilty Distillery and their sustainability initiatives, please visit www.clonakiltydistillery.com/sustainability/

About Clonakilty Distillery

Clonakilty Distillery was founded in 2016, and produces award-winning whiskey, gin and vodka, in the heart of Clonakilty town.

About Origin Green

Origin Green is the world’s only national food and drinks sustainability programme, enabling the industry to set and achieve measurable sustainability targets that respect the environment and serve local communities more effectively.

Find Us On Socials

Facebook:@clonakiltydistillery
Instagram:@clonakiltydistillery
Twitter:@clondistillery

Resources
[1] Accelerating global companies toward net zero by 2050. Report by Accenture November, 2022

Second Release of Clonakilty O’Hara’s Cask Finish

Clonakilty O Hara's Second Batch

Clonakilty Distillery and Carlow Brewing Company have worked together again to release a second batch of Clonakilty O’Hara’s Cask Finish Special Edition.

This limited-edition of 1600 bottles hits the shelves on March 4th, just in time for St. Patrick’s Day. The first release garnered a gold medal at the World Whiskey Awards 2022, and we anticipate this latest release will touch all the right notes again.

Maybe what makes this relationship work so well is how much our stories resemble each other. According to Carlow Brewing Company, Seamus O’Hara, “We are a local volume craft brewery with big goals, and our focus has always been on creating quality beers that push the envelope. Clonakilty has a similar story to tell about innovation in the whiskey industry.”

This second edition is a single malt whiskey aged in an ex-bourbon barrel, finished in O’Hara’s Imperial Stout and Winter Star Spiced Pale Ale barrels at our Atlantic Ocean warehouse.

According to Oisin Mulcahy, Head Distiller at Clonakilty Distillery, “A good whiskey should have engaging flavours and a beautiful aroma but still feel balanced, and I feel that is what we achieved with this second batch.” He continues, “The combination of stout and whiskey deliver a classic taste, and the spiced ale brings a greater depth and a slightly citrus finish.” 

The second release comes in at a slightly lower ABV of 47.5%, which balances the sweeter character of the beer with the malt whiskey. We encourage consumers to play around with the dilution and to have fun exploring the release of different flavours. For example, adding a few drops of water will open the beer aromas, revealing hints of allspice, chocolate, and orange.

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Award History

Clonakilty O’Hara’s Cask Finish Special Edition: First released in 2020 and was awarded Category Winner in the Small Batch Single Malt 12 Years & Under at the World Whiskey Awards 2022.

Where To Buy

RRP: €64.95

Limited Release: 1,600 bottles

Available from the Distillery Shop in Clonakilty & Online Store, as well as Supervalu and Centra stores.

Tasting Notes

Nose/Aromas: Vanilla custard, candied ginger, hot chocolate, nutmeg and cinnamon

Palette/Flavours: Ginger cake, cardamom, fudge brownie, lemon peel

Finish: Allspice, chocolate and orange oil

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Tag Us

Twitter:@clondistillery

Facebook:@clonakiltydistillery

Instagram:@clonakiltydistillery

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O Hara's Stout Beer and Ales

About Carlow Brewing Company

O Hara’s Carlow Brewing Company was established in Carlow 1996. They are an award winning brewery, renowned for their quality stouts and ales. The company use the highest quality raw materials with no short cuts. 

About Clonakilty Distillery

Clonakilty is Irelands maritime distillery located on the southwestern tip of Ireland. Founded by the Scully family in 2016, the distillery includes an award-winning visitor experience and gin school. The family grow their own barely and mature whiskey on the farm by the oceans edge.

 

 

Clonakilty Distillery adds further accolades to Whiskey and Vodka range at World Vodka and Whiskies Awards

Clonakilty O’Hara’s Cask Finish Special Edition – Category Winner in Small Batch Single Malt 12 Years & Under at the World Whiskey Awards 2022.

18th February 2022:

Clonakilty Distillery has added another two awards to its growing collection of accolades after their Minke Vodka was named Best Irish Varietal Vodka at the recent World Vodka Awards, and their Clonakilty O’Hara’s Cask Finish Special wins in the Single Malt Small Batch category at the World Whiskies Awards 2022.

Their Minke Vodka came out on top following a series of judging rounds by a panel of leading distillers and experts from the vodka industry.  

The World Whiskey and Vodka Awards are global competitions that identify the best in all internationally recognised genres and promote premium quality vodka and whiskey to consumers and trade markets throughout the world.

Currently the number one spirit consumed in Ireland, vodka is a relatively new departure for the Clonakilty Distillery, who launched their whey-base spirit in 2020.

However, following its launch, Minke Vodka has made waves in the industry and the World Vodka Award is the second award the product has received over the last 12 months as it also scooped the Gold Award in the Smooth category at the Spirits Business Vodka Masters in 2021.

Judges at the awards revealed the criteria for the category which led Clonakilty Distillery to come out on top for their Minke Vodka,

They remarked: “The Varietal Vodka is awarded to a vodka that is intended to be enjoyed neat or in cocktails whereby a little character determined by the base ingredient is acceptable, sought after and relished. A pure, clear and clean vodka, but not necessarily neutral by any means. “

Minke Irish Vodka – Winner Best Irish Varietal Vodka at the recent World Vodka Awards 2022.

Meanwhile, their Clonakilty O’Hara’s Cask Finish Special Whiskey was also triumphant in the Single Malt Small Batch category, with a Single Malt Small Batch whiskey defined as a Single Malt whiskey produced using the contents of no more than 100 casks.

Head Distiller at Clonakilty Distillery Paul Corbett said they were delighted with the recognition for both products:  

He said : “ We are over the moon to have won a second award this week.  It’s a credit to the team here to be able to win awards in two different categories of spirits. We are delighted to have won best Irish varietal vodka.  A slow distillation process produces an exceptionally clean vodka while the use of a whey spirit base imparts a smooth velvet mouthfeel. As a result, Minke Vodka is perfect to enjoy neat or in a cocktail.

He added: “O’Hara’ s brew exceptional beers and on nosing the casks before filling I knew we were going to be crafting something special. The resulting single malt has a complex blend of chocolate, fruit and spice notes with a rich mouthfeel and we’re delighted it has been recognised too.”

Clonakilty Distillery’s Minke Vodka is currently available to purchase from Supervalu and Centra stores as well as from their online. Their Clonakilty O’Hara’s Cask Finish Special is also available online.

https://clonakiltydistillery.digitickets.ie/products/252099 (RRP: €33.95)

https://clonakiltydistillery.digitickets.ie/products/293469?navItem=286273 (RRP: €57)

To keep up to date with all things Clonakilty Distillery, check out Clonakilty Distillery on Twitter @clondistillery, on Facebook @clonakiltydistillery and on Instagram @clonakiltydistillery For more information visit https://clonakiltydistillery.ie/

Minke Irish Vodka – Clonakilty Distillery Launches New Premium Irish Vodka

Minke Irish Vodka

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – From “Minke Gin” to “Minke Vodka” – Clonakilty Distillery have added to their growing portfolio of exceptional spirits with the launch of a new premium Irish vodka.

The Distillery, which already boost a renowned reputation as a producer of award-winning whiskeys and gin, launched Minke Irish Vodka on Friday of the May Bank Holiday weekend.

Responding to Europe’s booming cocktail culture, Clonakilty have crafted a contemporary and modern new spirit, which reaffirms the company’s commitment to innovation.

Michael Scully, founder of Clonakilty Distillery said – “We are very excited to finally launch Minke Irish Vodka into the market and feel it will only enhance our reputation as a producer of premium Irish spirits. This is a superb new release for Clonakilty and further demonstrates our commitment to innovation, while respecting tradition and craft”.  

Michael Scully, Founder of Clonakilty Distillery.

Minke Irish Vodka

Distilled from whey alcohol in the distilleries copper pot still, Minke Vodka is a smooth and sophisticated spirit, offering a premium drinking experience.

Where most Irish vodkas are distilled using a grain-based alcohol, Minke Vodka uses a whey base spirit, derived from milk produced on the 9th generation family farm. Using whey alcohol as the base spirit delivers a velvety mouthfeel which coats the palate.

As with the gin, Minke Vodka is inspired by the Minke Whale, the majestic creatures that swim wild in the Atlantic off the coast of Clonakilty.  

How to enjoy Minke Vodka

The luxuriously smooth vodka can be sipped easily or enjoyed over ice with a splash of tonic and a wedge of lime.

Elegant and refined, Minke Vodka is perfect in a cocktail. The signature smoothness imparts its velvety mouthfeel and texture to any creative concoction. Without overpowering the other flavours, the vodka simply compliments them, adding a silky sensation with every sip. 

Sure to be an instant hit with mixologists, Minke Vodka guarantees a sophisticated drinking experience, working well in both traditional and new cocktails.

Minke Irish Vodka

Where to buy

Minke vodka will retail at €33.95 and is now available exclusively in Centra and Supervalu stores nationwide.

-ENDS-

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Clonakilty Distillery

Clonakilty is Irelands maritime distillery located on the southwestern tip of Ireland. Founded by the Scully family in 2016, the distillery includes an award-winning visitor experience and gin school. The family grow their own barely and mature whiskey on the farm by the oceans edge.

Wild Atlantic Whiskey cocktail

Clonakilty Wild Atlantic Whiskey Cocktail

Wild Atlantic whiskey cocktail. Think power, freedom, escapism, relaxed, confidence, perfection. Now we’re not talking about the cocktail. Rather, how you will feel after drinking this cocktail. Created for anyone who’s had a stressful week, this cocktail has just the right amount of perfection to help you unwind and find yourself at ease.

Clonakilty Double Oak Cask Whiskey, eases nicely on to the palate in this cocktail with its subtle soft spice tones and sweet burst of vanilla flavours. Without it being overpowering it’s just the right amount of flavour with a long finish. 

I N G R E D I E N T S 
40ml Clonakilty Double Oak Cask Whiskey 
20ml Regal Rogue Bold Red
2 Drops Seaweed Bitters
1 Drop Angostura Bitter
5ml Smoked Sea Salt Syrup 
Suggested Glassware: Highball Glass 

M E T H O D 
Add all ingredients in to a cocktail shaker and gently stir.
Top the drink with Tonic Water.

SMOKED SEA SALT SYRUP

I N G R E D I E N T S 
20 grams Smoked Sea Salt
30 grams Demerara Sugar
50ml Hot Water 

M E T H O D
Place all ingredients in to a glass 

S E R V I N G 
Finally add ice to the drink and garnish with Rock Samphire. 

Now, all that’s left is to enjoy this Clonakilty Wild Atlantic whiskey cocktail!