Black Emerald debuts in Ireland
Following its debut in Australia, Black Emerald Irish whiskey is set to launch in its home market this September.
Distilled at the Great Northern Distillery in County Louth in close cooperation with John Teeling and Brian Mongan, Black Emerald is a single grain Irish whiskey founded by Ernest Cantillon, Finian Sedgwick, and international rugby player, Simon Zebo.
Sedgwick commented: “Irish whiskey can feel a little predictable right now. We want to bring some craic back into the category. Black Emerald is whiskey made to be shared, not saved. Pull up a chair with your friends, pour a dram, and tell a story.
“For us, single grain is the unsung hero of Irish whiskey: approachable, versatile, and full of character. It shines with a cask finish, and it speaks equally to new drinkers and seasoned whiskey lovers.”
The brand offers two releases: a seven-year-old rum cask-finished (45% ABV) expression and a 15-year-old whiskey finished in Cognac casks (50% ABV).
The seven-year-old offers notes of biscuit, milk, and coconut chocolate, as well as orange and cherry tart on the palate, while the 15-year-old displays nuances of vanilla bean, cherry, burnt caramel, spice, dark chocolate, and dried fruits.
Zebo added: “My father always had an extensive whiskey collection, but for him it was never about the bottles themselves – it was about the people gathered around them. Whiskey has always been about connection, about bringing new friends and old friends together. Black Emerald is our way of carrying that tradition forward, while also representing the Ireland of today: modern, confident, and looking to the future.”
Black Emerald is distributed in Ireland by Lighthouse Drinks and is available for purchase in bars, restaurants, and bottle shops.
It can also be bought online through IrishMalts, retailing for £53.65 (US$72) for the seven-year-old and £66.60 (US$90) for the 15-year-old, with the Celtic Whiskey Shop and additional retailers to follow.
Cantillon noted on the vision behind the brand: “For me, it’s always been about hospitality – about creating spaces where people feel welcome. That’s what Irish pubs and Irish drinks brands have always stood for. With Black Emerald, we wanted to bottle that same spirit and share it with the world. It’s a celebration of modern Ireland, rooted in our traditions but alive to what’s next, bringing people together over a whiskey that feels both familiar and new.”
Great Northern Distillery
John Teeling established the Great Northern Distillery in 2015. He is also the founder of Cooley Distillery.
He said: “I believe in single grain for one overwhelming reason: it reflects the modern tastes of younger drinkers. Corn distils a sweeter spirit than barley. An aged grain is very smooth, mellow, and easy to drink. If cocktails are your choice, it mixes well and takes a finish. To me, it is the future.”
For Mongan, the distillery’s head of commercial, Irish single grain reflects modern Ireland with its adaptability, openness, and ability to take on new concepts.
He explained: “It’s approachable, easy to drink; it can be light, it can be bold, it can be fun, it can be serious. It’s the best example of contemporary representation of the innovation that has persisted throughout the history of the category. It can be what you want it to be.
“If you think back to the major shifts in Irish [whiskey], every time there has been a sea change or a shift, there has been a flavour change – originally moving from peated malt to unpeated (peated was only fuel source from drying barley at one point), from single malt to pots stills (taxation on malted barley) and from heavier distillates to lighter blends with (introduction of coffey still). Grain can be lots of things to lots of people; flavour can be expressed through it. It’s probably the ultimate recruitment vessel by the accessibility it can offer to the world.”
Last year, Riverdance phenomenon Michael Flatley partnered with the Great Northern Distillery to launch the Flatley Irish Whiskey brand.
Related news
Is there room for small Irish whiskey brands in GTR?
