Midleton Distillery Experience closes after flooding

Irish Distillers has shut the Midleton Distillery Experience after the site was damaged by flooding in the town.

Midleton town, located in County Cork, Ireland, suffered severe flooding due to heavy rain brought by storm Babet. A month’s worth of rain fell in 24 hours on Wednesday, 18 October.

The main road in Midleton was under three feet of water after the Owenacurra River burst its banks.

Midleton Distillery – home to Irish whiskey brands including Jameson, Powers, Redbreast, Midleton Very Rare, Spot, and Method and Madness – was one of the affected properties, resulting in the closure of the visitor experience.

The visitor centre received a €13 million (US$14.7m) investment in late 2021, which was due to be completed by 2025.

A spokesperson for Irish Distillers said: “Our thoughts are with the people, communities and businesses in the Midleton and wider East Cork region who have been affected by the unprecedented and devastating flooding.

“We can confirm that the Midleton Distillery Experience is closed. The site was damaged due to flooding yesterday [18 October] and we are currently working to understand the extent of the damage.

“Our teams in Dublin and Midleton are working hard to ensure the continued safety of colleagues and the protection of our sites. We remain in close contact with all relevant local bodies.”

In September last year, Irish Distillers’ parent company, Pernod Ricard, revealed plans to invest €250 million (US$248.8m) into building a new carbon-neutral whiskey distillery in Midleton.

Pernod Ricard’s sales during the first quarter of fiscal 2024 fell by 2% due to declines in the US and China.