Breakthrough deal in Germany for Rostrevor’s Killowen Distillery

The award-winning distillery, build and developed by Brendan Carty, an experienced architect in the foothills of the scenic Mourne Mountains, has signed a major distribution deal with Haromax. Haromex will distribute Killowen’s 700ml Single Malt Rum & Raisin Irish Whiskey, Gloria Coffee Liqueur and Pangur Poitín. These are all available for purchase across Germany online now and will be available in all good bottle shops in the coming weeks.

Brendan, announcing the breakthrough in Germany, says: “This is another major boost for our small distillery, which has been recognised for its successful investment in innovation. We look forward to working with the Haromax team to grow sales of our range of products.”

A specialist in small batch spirits, Brendan was named Distiller of the Year in the annual Irish Whiskey Industry Awards last month. It was a fitting tribute for one of the most creative distillers in the Irish whiskey community.

Killowen was also named NI Irish Whiskey Experience of the Year in front of hundreds of whiskey professionals and lovers of the historic spirit. Assistant Distiller of the Year was awarded to Killowen’s Hugh Keenan.

Celebrating the impressive treble, Brendan adds: “We are absolutely over the moon not only to have been nominated, but also to have won three awards. What an amazing week it was at the Belfast Whiskey Awards. So many exceptional events and all of us here from Killowen have been grateful to have been an integral part of it all.”

Killowen has created its own distilled whiskey for international markets, including the critical US. The distillery is also the only one using historic Irish techniques, including distilling the spirit over flame. The whiskeys are double distilled instead of the traditional tripled distilled spirits. In addition, they are unfiltered and without colourings.

Another recent taste innovation was a single pot still, cask strength whiskey finished in a blackberry rum cask, a product which Brendan says “boasts an explosion of mixed fruits, viscosity and, of course, a little pot still spice”.