Clonakilty Distillery
Family-operated coastal distillery in Clonakilty, County Cork, on Ireland's Wild Atlantic Way. Founded in 2016 by the Scully family, who have farmed the coastal Clonakilty land for nine generations, the distillery is physically and philosophically embedded in its West Cork location. The maturation warehouses are perched on the Atlantic cliffs above Clonakilty Bay; the maritime air infiltrates every cask year-round, contributing a genuine coastal terroir story that few Irish distilleries can claim. Grain is grown at the foot of the Galley Head lighthouse and brought into Clonakilty for distilling. The distillery is B Corp certified — a rare distinction in Irish whiskey — and operates under the tagline "A whiskey like no other. From a place like no other."
Tours
Available
On-site Shop
Open
Online Shop
Available
History
The Scully family began farming the Clonakilty coastline generations before whiskey distilling was considered. When the family decided to establish a distillery in 2016, they built it on land they had farmed for nine generations — a founding story that resonates with authenticity in an industry sometimes accused of manufactured heritage. The distillery's location at the head of the tidal Clonakilty Bay in County Cork placed it in the heart of one of Ireland's most characterful landscapes, on the Wild Atlantic Way coastal route.
Distilling commenced in 2016 and the first expressions began to be released as the whiskey reached maturity. The distillery quickly established a reputation for coastal character and quality: awards followed at the Berlin International Spirits Competition and Tokyo Whisky & Spirits Competition in 2024–2025, validating the approach. B Corp certification — requiring rigorous social and environmental standards — was achieved, making Clonakilty one of a small number of Irish distilleries to hold this designation.
Spirits are sold to the European market via shop.clonakiltydistillery.ie and to the US market via clonakiltydistillery.com, reflecting the distillery's international ambitions.
Production
Clonakilty Distillery produces Irish whiskey in single pot still style as its primary expression, alongside single malt and grain variants. Grain is grown at the foot of the Galley Head lighthouse — local barley from the family's own farmed land — and brought into the Clonakilty facility for malting and distilling. The maturation warehouses are situated directly above the Atlantic Ocean on the cliffs of Clonakilty Bay, where sea air, salt spray, and coastal humidity interact with the maturing casks year-round. No specific still sizes or capacity figures have been publicly disclosed by the distillery.
Tasting Character
The Clonakilty house style reflects its Atlantic coastal setting: tasting notes include crisp apple, subtle maple sweetness, and a rich warm finish underpinned by sea salt and coastal air character from the cliff-side warehouses. The Single Pot Still is the core expression and most distinctively Irish in character — classic pot still spice, orchard fruit, and cream. The Double Oak adds extra cask complexity from two-wood maturation. The Galley Head Single Malt honours the landmark at the foot of which the grain is grown. The Port Cask expression uses Portuguese wine wood for deeper, fruitier character. The Minke gin and vodka range takes its name from the minke whales that frequent the Clonakilty Bay.
What They Produce
Notable Bottlings
- Clonakilty Single Pot Still£57.34 — Core expression; classic Irish pot still spice and fruit character; Atlantic coastal influence
- Clonakilty Double Oak£40.75 — Two-wood maturation; added complexity and depth
- Clonakilty Galley Head Single Malt£33.50 — Named for the famous lighthouse; locally grown grain
- Clonakilty Port Cask£51.00 — Portuguese wine wood finish; dark fruit, warmth, and coastal salinity
- Minke Irish Gin — Named for local minke whales; Wild Atlantic Way botanical character
- Minke Sloe Gin — Sloe-infused variant using local Irish sloe berries
- Minke Irish Vodka — Clean and smooth; triple-distilled Irish grain vodka
Visiting
A multi-sensory guided distillery tour and tasting experience is available, bookable via visitclonakiltydistillery.ie. Physical shop on-site at the distillery. Online shop (Europe) at shop.clonakiltydistillery.ie; US shop at clonakiltydistillery.com. Address: Distillery Road, Clonakilty, County Cork, Ireland.
Official Website
