Cooley
In 1987, only two distilleries were still operating in all of Ireland – both owned by the French group Pernod Ricard. Irishman John Teeling refused to accept this and founded a completely new, independent distillery on the Cooley Peninsula, rescuing Irish whiskey from outright monopoly.
Cooley stands for the revival of Irish whiskey's diversity – from peated malt to classic blends. From the smoky Connemara to the Kilbeggan blend, you will find the right bottle for every occasion in our selection.
Content: 0.7 Liter (€34.27 / 1 Liter)
Available, delivery time: 1-3 business days
Content: 0.7 Liter (€19.99 / 1 Liter)
Available, delivery time: 1-3 business days
Content: 0.7 Liter (€78.56 / 1 Liter)
Available, delivery time: 3-6 business business days
Content: 0.7 Liter (€34.27 / 1 Liter)
Available, delivery time: 3-6 business business days
Content: 0.7 Liter (€74.27 / 1 Liter)
Available, delivery time: 1-3 business days
Content: 0.7 Liter (€48.56 / 1 Liter)
Available, delivery time: 1-3 business days
Code: PFINGSTEN26
Content: 0.7 Liter (€67.13 / 1 Liter)
Available, delivery time: 1-3 business days
Content: 0.7 Liter (€51.41 / 1 Liter)
Available, delivery time: 1-3 business days
Content: 0.7 Liter (€72.84 / 1 Liter)
Available, delivery time: 3-6 business business days
Content: 0.04 Liter (€124.75 / 1 Liter)
Available, delivery time: 1-3 business days
Content: 0.04 Liter (€199.75 / 1 Liter)
Available, delivery time: 1-3 business days
Content: 0.7 Liter (€59.99 / 1 Liter)
Available, delivery time: 1-3 business days
Content: 0.7 Liter (€32.84 / 1 Liter)
Available, delivery time: 3-6 business business days
How did a new distillery break a decades-old monopoly?
In 1987, John Teeling bought a former state-owned alcohol plant in Dundalk on Ireland's east coast and, within two years, built it into the Cooley Distillery – named after the peninsula on which it stands. On Easter Sunday 1989, spirit ran into casks here for the first time. As early as 1988, Teeling's college friend Willie McCarter brought the old Andrew A. Watt distillery and the rights to "The Tyrconnell" brand into the company; Cooley also acquired the disused Locke's Kilbeggan distillery along with its brand rights. The historic Kilbeggan site initially served only as a warehouse, but production resumed there too in 2007.
Why does Connemara taste so untypically Irish?
In 1996, Cooley launched Connemara, Ireland's only peated single malt – double- rather than triple-distilled, as is otherwise customary in Scotland. This unusual combination of Irish fruitiness and Scottish-style smokiness made Connemara one of the distillery's most distinctive whiskeys. In 1998, Cooley was honoured by the International Wine and Spirit Competition for its contribution to Irish whiskey. In 2011, the distillery passed to Jim Beam, and since Beam's acquisition by Suntory in 2014 it has operated under Beam Suntory.
Overview of the most popular bottlings
1. Connemara Peated
Ireland's only peated single malt.
Taste: Smoky and earthy, with typically Irish fruitiness in the background.
Serving suggestion: For Islay fans wanting to discover an Irish variant.
2. The Tyrconnell
The distillery's classic, unpeated malt.
Taste: Fruity and mild with apple and honey.
Serving suggestion: A good introduction to Irish single malt.
3. Kilbeggan
The approachable blend from the historic Kilbeggan estate.
Taste: Light and sweet with vanilla and grain notes.
Serving suggestion: An uncomplicated everyday whiskey, neat or in a highball.
Facts and figures
Address: Riverstown, Cooley, County Louth. Founded: 1987 by John Teeling. Owner: Beam Suntory. Visitor centre: in Kilbeggan.