Our Story
Seven Decades of Development
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1960s
Irish Distillers Limited is formed
A time for brave thinking and difficult decisions. Irish whiskey had been in a slump since the turn of the century and distillery after distillery had closed. Something radical had to be done. In 1966 the three remaining distilleries left operational in the Republic of Ireland John Power & Son, John Jameson & Son and the Cork Distilleries Company came together to pool resources and form a new Company, Irish Distillers Limited.
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1970s
New Midleton Distillery opens and all distilling moved to Cork
A time for preparing for the future and sowing the seeds for growth. The old distilleries were no longer fit for purpose and the decision was made to start afresh and build Europe’s most modern distillery in Co. Cork, adjacent to the Old Midleton Distillery. Production from the old Jameson Distillery at Bow Street and the Power’s Johns Lane Distillery in Dublin was transferred to this new site.
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1980s
Launch of Midleton Very Rare
The New Midleton distillery coming on stream heralds a time for growth and the re-emergence of the Irish Whiskey Category. A new marketing initiative sees Irish Distillers focus on Jameson, while in 1984 Midleton Very Rare was launched. A seismic event for Irish Whiskey occurred in 1988 when Irish Distillers joins Groupe Pernod Ricard. Now with a guaranteed global route to market, the future for Irish whiskey seemed golden.
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1990s
A time of growth and resurgence
Jameson truly begins to take off and become the global brand it is today. The Jameson Graduate Programme is established to nurture new talent in the sector. At Midleton, emphasis is put on redesigning the cask maturation programme, laying the foundations for future innovation. Our Brand Homes at Jameson Distillery Bow St and Midleton open, heralding a new era of whiskey tourism in Ireland.
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2000s
Double digit growth for Jameson
Jameson experiences exceptional growth in the United States, prompting a renewed interest globally in the Irish Whiskey Category. 2007 sees the move to new corporate offices at Simmonscourt in Dublin. Plans are made to expand maturation capacity at a new site in Dungourney Co. Cork.
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2010s
Expansion of Midleton Distillery
An investment of €200 million in production facilities supports the opening of the Garden Still House and Mircodistillery in Midleton coupled with a €17 million euro development of the Fox and Geese plant. Due to renewed interest in the Irish Whiskey Category as a whole, Single Pot Still, the quintessential style of Irish whiskey, makes a triumphant return to the shelves. A new brand, Method and Madness, is launched the first time since Midleton Very Rare in 1984. Irish Distillers becomes a founding member of the Irish Whiskey Association.
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2020s
Jameson surpasses 10 million cases
Sustained growth leads to our boldest decisions yet. In 2022, major investment plans are announced, including plans for a new distillery at Midleton to support future demand for our portfolio of Irish Whiskeys.