West Cork Distillers was established by childhood friends John O'Connell, Dennis McCarthy and Gerard McCarthy in the village of Union Hall, in 2003.
Enlisting the assistance of the former master blender at Irish Distillers, Dr Barry Walsh, and using local spring water and a unique proprietary oak wood maturation method, they produced a premium brown spirit like a low alcohol (22% ABV) whiskey. They named their first product Drombeg, after Ireland’s oldest stone circle which is near Union Hall, and other products that followed were also named with personal and local connections in mind (Kennedy and Lough Hyne).
Today, at their distillery in Skibbereen (where all of the equipment was hand made on site), they produce a range of whiskeys and other spirits - poitin, vodka and gin under the Two Trees brand, for example, and Garnish Island Provincial Gin.
There is no visitor centre or tour, but interested parties are welcome to contact the distillery for information.
