While we wait for the first drop of Ahascragh spirit, we want to give a taste of what’s to come. We began our journey with our Family Bond of hand-selected releases – Clan Colla Irish Whiskey, UAIS Irish Whiskey & Xin Gin. Clan Colla is inspired by the legend of The Three Collas. Our first sourced whiskey releases include our 20 Year Old Single Malts, 19 Year Old Single Malt, 11 Year Old Blend and 7 Year Old Single Grain. UAIS Irish Whiskey is named after Colla Uais, the High King of Ireland. A unique fusion of Pot Still, Single Malt and Grain Whiskeys, aged in Ex-Bourbon and Virgin Oak casks. We are now distilling our Xin Gin on-site. A perfect balance of European and Oriental botanicals, inspired by our two homes, Asia and Ireland. Our brands are now on sale via Celtic Whiskey Shop and Irish Malts. We are also on-sale in key stockists across Ireland and Internationally. Our key target markets are Asia, the USA and beyond. Sláinte!

Ahascragh Distillery is on target to be the first eco-distillery of this scale in Ireland. The Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) is supporting the development of the distillery, with capital support of €500,000. We engaged FDT Consulting Engineers and Project Managers Ltd. to undertake an energy efficient design review of the proposed distillery in Ahascragh. Decarbonisation specialist Astatine developed and installed the technology that has delivered substantial reductions in the utility demands of the distillery through a novel means of thermal storage, combined with optimal heat recovery within the process.

1.Fastest growing premium spirit in the world. 2. Growth of Irish Whiskey over the last decade of 140%. 3. Global demand currently surpasses supply. 4. Sales set to double by 2030, eclipsing Scotch Whisky. 5. 20 years ago there were 3 distilleries in Ireland now there are 40 (versus 140 distilleries in Scotland). 6. Value of Irish whiskey exports reached €890 million in 2019. 7. Pandemic proof product – 11.4 million cases sold in 2020. Just 0.4% decrease from previous year. 8. 1 million visitors to distilleries in Ireland in 2019.

Some key features of the distillery: The peak heating and cooling demand has more than halved. Unlike other distilleries in Ireland, the heat delivered to the distillery will not require the combustion of any fossil fuels, and will utilise green electricity. Heat will be provided to the distillery through heat pumps which means that there will be no flue related emissions, or impacts on the local environment. The heat pump design, heat recovery and thermal storage means that the energy inputs to the distillery are a third than that of traditional technology. The building itself has been protected with much of the original machinery and wooden beams being restored and reused.

We’re Gareth & Michelle McAllister, a husband and wife team from Dublin. Together, we have lived and worked around the world, US, UK, Europe and most recently, Asia. We returned to Ireland with the dream of turning our passion for craft Irish spirits into a family business and set our sights on opening a whiskey and gin distillery in the west of Ireland. When we visited the old mill in Ahascragh, Co Galway, we fell for its story: the beautiful stonework, the history of the buildings and the character of the small village drew us in. Our plans had been brewing for a while, but the pandemic hastened our timeline when we found ourselves back home in Ireland in March 2020. Since then it has been full steam ahead. Two years later, we have completed the first phase of construction, transforming the old mill into a state-of-the-art distillery; launched 3 brands on national and international markets; and won numerous prestigious awards. Here’s to many more milestones and celebrations to come.

“Little village in the West of Ireland called Ahascragh”. Ahascragh Distillery is located in a small countryside village in East Galway. Surrounded by expansive boglands, rivers and unspoiled scenery, Ahascragh is a peaceful village. Just outside Ballinasloe town, the distillery is near the Wild Atlantic Way, a coastline route that attracted over 3.5 million visitors in 2018. Ballinasloe is an important commuter town and a key stop for those travelling from Dublin to the west coast. In 2019 there were over one million visitors to Irish whiskey distilleries across the island of Ireland, generating positive economic returns for rural Ireland. The restoration and construction of the old mill has given a jobs boost to the local economy with the creation of full-time sustainable jobs in the long-term. The distillery has provided 20 direct jobs. It will also support a further 60-70 indirect jobs through local supply chains. The project is currently supporting 30 plus jobs in construction. This distillery will breathe new life into the village of Ahascragh and townlands of East Galway, creating lasting local employment and a cultural legacy for these communities.

We came across the old Ahascragh Mills online while living in Hong Kong. We were blown away by the beautiful stonework and country setting. We hadn’t thought much more about it until we were heading to a meeting in Galway and decided to take a little detour. As we pulled into the little village, we instantly knew we had found something special. Ahascragh Mill dates back to the early 1800s and up until the 1950s processed grain into flour. Located in the heart of the village and steeped in history, the mill complex has remained derelict for the past 70 years. We are currently collecting stories, memories and photos of the old mill from locals. Our visitor centre will include a permanent exhibition of the salvaged mill equipment and will tell the story of the mill from past to present. Here’s to celebrating the mill and breathing new life into such a beautiful building.

Welcome to our Clan Investment Round 2023. We’re on a mission to make whiskey history in the West of Ireland. We have transformed an old mill into a state of the art craft distillery and visitor experience. With three brands on-sale and phase one of construction complete, we’re inviting people to join us on this very exciting journey. We will continue to keep you up-to-date on our progress and key milestones over the coming weeks. Feel free to reach out at invest@ahascraghdistillery.com and we will happily answer any questions you may have. We’re looking forward to sharing our vision with you and, hopefully, welcoming you to the Family.