Irish Whiskey Technical File Public Consultation

Take Time Before You Respond – Informed Feedback Carries Greater Weight

Following last weeks publication of the draft Irish Whiskey Technical File for public consultation, we are encouraging everyone to take some time before submitting any formal response.

This is a very positive step but our advice at this stage is not to rush.

There are two important reasons for this:

1. More informed analysis will emerge over the coming days.
A number of respected technical experts and experienced figures from across the Irish whiskey industry will be reviewing the document in detail and sharing their insights. Their analysis will help navigate some of the more complex language and provide valuable context for what the proposed changes may actually mean in practice.

2. There appear to be one or two inaccuracies within the published draft.
We understand these may be addressed or clarified during the consultation process, so it is worth allowing time for any corrections or explanatory guidance before forming final conclusions.

The consultation remains open until 4 September 2026, so there is no advantage in submitting an immediate response. Taking the time to fully understand the proposals will help ensure that any feedback is informed, accurate and carries greater weight.

We will continue to monitor developments closely and share further analysis and guidance as more information becomes available.

What this means for Killowen?

Killowen set up their distillery to make real Pot Still Irish Whiskey; we have not laid down a single cask of the current GI-restricted whiskey in five years. As such, everything we have in bond will safely and rightfully become official Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey upon the correction of this technical file. This means the world to us, as we bet the house and put our keys on it from day one. The very first whiskey we ever distilled was real Pot Still that is not yet legally recognised as such. We all owe it to history and to our culinary heritage to correct this.

Useful public resources:

• Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine – Public Consultation (consultation portal and documents)
https://www.gov.ie/en/department-of-agriculture-food-and-the-marine/

Useful detailed reading resources:

https://arrow.tudublin.ie/tfschcafdoc/7/

Useful light reading resources:

https://www.irishwhiskeymagazine.com/magazine/premium/historic-mashbills/

Sláinte

The Killowen Distillery Team