🎙️ Ep. 141 - McCONNELL’S IRISH WHISKEY: New Home at Belfast’s Crumlin Road Gaol

GUESTS: John Kelly (CEO) & Graeme Millar (Master Distiller), Belfast Distillery Company

Belfast was once one of the world's great whiskey capitals, but for decades its distilling heritage lay dormant. In this episode, Drew Hannush reunites with Belfast Distillery Company CEO John Kelly and Master Distiller Graeme Millar to explore the rebirth of McConnell's Irish Whiskey, the remarkable transformation of Belfast's historic Crumlin Road Jail into a working distillery, and the philosophy guiding one of Northern Ireland's most ambitious whiskey projects. Along the way, they discuss McConnell's rich past, the future of Irish single malt, and why Belfast is once again becoming a destination for whiskey lovers.

In This Episode

• The revival of Belfast's legendary McConnell's brand
• Why Crumlin Road Jail became a distillery
• Restoring a prison while preserving its history
• Belfast's forgotten role in Irish whiskey
• The rise and fall of McConnell's in the 1800s
• Graeme Millar's vision for triple-distilled single malt
• Creating a distinctive Northern Irish whiskey style
• Building flavor through careful distillation and maturation
• Behind the scenes of McConnell's visitor experience
• Belfast's growing reputation as a whiskey destination

SHOW NOTES: whiskeylore.org/interviews

JOIN THE SPEAKEASY (AND GET THE COUPON CODE): https://www.patreon.com/whiskeylore/posts/ep-141-irish-new-164366456