Cooley Named Best Distillery in Europe for Third Consecutive Year

Chairman John Teeling hails export industries as key to Ireland’s recovery

Cooley Distillery, Ireland’s only independent distillery, has been named European Distiller of the Year for the third consecutive year at the annual International Wine and Spirits Competition (IWSC) banquet held in London.

Cooley Distillery Founder and Chairman, John Teeling believes that Cooley’s achievements throughout the downturn are proof positive that the exporting and marketing of quality Irish produce will drive the recovery of the Irish economy.

John Teeling, Chairman, commented, “While the state and the economic commentators work to rearrange the chairs on the deck of the Titanic, the rest of us are getting on with what needs to be done to bring us back from the brink.

This award, Cooley’s for the third time in a row, demonstrates three things; the value of Irish businessmen building world class internationally competitive businesses; the indisputable fact that Irish workers can produce products of the highest quality and the ability of young Irish road warriors to market our products and gain market share in tough markets around the world.

Our sales in over 40 countries around the world clearly illustrates that the future lies in the exports of Irish owned wealth producers. This award proves it can be done.”

Cooley’s continuing international acclaim has been driven by its commitment to innovation and its focus on exporting its portfolio of award winning whiskeys to over 40 countries around the world.

Despite the downturn, Cooley’s focus on export markets has enabled the company to continue to be profitable and has invested €6.5 million in the infrastructure of their two distilleries – Cooley Distillery in County Louth and the Old Kilbeggan Distillery in County Westmeath.

This latest accolade follows 10 gold medals from the IWSC in July of this year and Cooley Distillery being named Distillery of the Year by Malt Advocate, the leading whisky magazine in North America.

To date Cooley has won the European Distiller of the Year title three times (2008, 2009, 2010), been named World Distiller of the Year by the IWSC (2008) and in 2009 Cooley’s Kilbeggan 15-year-old blended whiskey collected the prestigious Brown Forman Trophy for Worldwide Whiskey of the Year.

List of Gold Medals at the 2010 IWSC

§ Gold Medal & Best in Class, Kilbeggan 15 Year Old Blended Irish Whiskey

§ Gold Medal & Best in Class, Tyrconnell Single Malt

§ Gold Medal & Best in Class, Tyrconnell 10 Year Old Sherry Finish Single Malt

§ Gold Medal & Best in Class, Tyrconnell 15 Year Old Single Cask Single Malt

§ Gold Medal & Best in Class, Connemara Sherry Finish Peated Single Malt

§ Gold Medal & Best in Class, Connemara 12 Year Old Peated Single Malt

§ Gold Medal & Best in Class, Greenore 8 Year Old Single Grain

§ Gold Medal & Best in Class, Greenore 15 Year Old Single Grain

§ Gold Medal & Best in Class, Lockes 8 Year Old Single Malt

§ Gold Medal, Tyrconnell 10 Year Old Madeira Finish Single Malt
 
For More Information

Jack Teeling

Managing Director

Cooley Distillery

Notes

Cooley Distillery is the only independent Irish whiskey distillery. Established in 1987, Cooley takes its name from the location of its distillery, situated at the foothills of the Cooley mountains, in Co. Louth. Cooley has an awarding winning portfolio of Irish whiskeys including Kilbeggan Irish whiskey, Tyrconnell Single Malt, Connemara Peated Single Malt and Greenore Single Grain Irish whiskey. To learn more about Cooley Distillery visit www.cooleywhiskey.com.

The International Wine and Spirit Competition is the premier competition of its kind in the world. Its aim is to promote the quality and excellence of the world’s best wines, spirits and liqueurs. All wines, spirits and liqueurs are blind tasted in groups divided by variety, region and vintage. Awards are made on a points system and sponsored trophies are presented in selected categories. Technical analysis is carried out on Gold, Gold (Best in Class), Silver (Best in Class) award winning wines, spirits and liqueurs to ensure that all products are technically sound and will be of the same high quality when they reach the consumer as they were when the judging panels originally tasted them. For more information visit: www.iwsc.net