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Kilbeggan
Founded
1757
Region
Ireland
Status
Operational
Company
Production type
Single Grain,
Single Malt,
Single Pot Still
Production capacity
910,000 litres per year
Former name
Brusna,
Locke's
Kilbeggan is a historic Irish whiskey distillery in the eponymous town in County Westmeath. It was originally founded in 1757 by Matthew McManus and rose to prominence under ownership of John Locke, who purchased it in 1843. John Locke & Co operated it until 1957 when it was closed, seemingly for good.
Having been refurbished in 1982 after years of neglect and turned into a museum, it was then acquired by Cooley Distillery PLC six years later and distilling was resumed there in 2007. Nowadays part of the Beam Suntory portfolio, it produces single grain Irish whiskey which is marketed under the Kilbeggan brand name.
Cooley distillery first began to market the Kilbeggan brand in 1994, first introducing it as a range of blended Irish whiskies. The first aged blend was a 15-year-old that it introduced in 2007 to mark the occasion of the first distillation at Kilbeggan following its restoration.
Following the acquisition of the brand by Beam Suntory in 2014, the decision was made to rebrand its Greenore single grain under the Kilbeggan name. The 8-year-old was launched that year, however the age statement was then dropped two years later following a refresh of the brand image (which was still using the Greenore template).
The single grain bottling was then renamed Triple Cask in 2022, and is still produced at Cooley distillery rather than Kilbeggan. The first product to be launched that contained exclusively spirit distilled at Kilbeggan was its Small Batch Rye. Double-distilled with a mash bill of 30% rye alongside malted and un-malted barley, it was first released in 2018. The second and currently only other 100% Kilbeggan-distilled release from the brand is its single pot still release, introduced in 2020. Its first single malt was a limited edition release in 2022.
Kilbeggan Distillery
Lower Main Street
Aghamore
Kilbeggan
Co. Westmeath
Ireland
1757
1833
1841
1843
1868
1878
1887
1893
1917
1920
1924
1927
1931
1947
1952
1957
1958
1963
1969
1982
1988
1994
2007
2009
2010
2012
2014
2015
2017
2018
2019
2022
2023
Kilbeggan distillery is opened by Matthew McManus
Recorded owner of the distillery is Patrick Brett.
Distillery is put up for sale by William Codd and William Cuffee.
John Locke acquires the distillery.
John Locke dies. His sons John Edward and James Harvey Locke inherit the distillery.
A fire destroys part of the distillery and much of its warehouses stock.
Alfred Barnard visits the distillery.
John Locke & Co incorporated as a limited stock company.
Distilling in Ireland is suspended due to food shortages in Great Britain.
John Edward Locke dies.
Distillery is closed.
James Harvey Locke dies. His daughters, Florence Emily and Mary Evelyn, inherit his shares in the distillery.
Production resumes at distillery.
John Locke & Co puts distillery up for sale.
No buyer is found after fraudsters are prevented in attempt to acquire it.
Irish government introduces 28% rise in excise duties on spirits.
Distillery is closed after bank debenture is called in and cannot be paid.
John Locke & Co cease trading.
Karl-Heinz Möller acquires the distillery and sells off remaining stock, converting it into a pigsty.
The distillery site is acquired by Powerscreen, which uses it to manufacture construction equipment.
Kilbeggan Preservation & Development Association acquires the site and restores it as a distilling museum.
The distillery is sold to Cooley Distillery PLC.
Kilbeggan brand of blended Irish whiskies launched by Cooley.
Distilling is resumed at Kilbeggan with one pot still using low wines produced at Cooley.
A second still made by Forsyths in Scotland is installed.
Installation of mash tun and fermentation vats mean distillery is fully operational again for first time since 1953.
Cooley Distillery PLC is bought by Beam, Inc.
Beam Suntory formed after acquisition by Suntory Holdings.
Greenore single grain brand is renamed Kilbeggan.
Kilbeggan single grain brand is relaunched.
Rye whiskey released as first spirit distilled at Kilbeggan since re-opening.
Single pot still whiskey entirely distilled at Kilbeggan is released.
First single malt distilled at Kilbeggan is released.
Kilbeggan single grain is relaunched as Triple Cask.
Active brands
Single Grain,
Single Malt,
Single Pot Still
