Cooley Distillery: History, Owner and Range
Updated: 20 hours ago
Cooley Distillery sits on the Cooley Peninsula in County Louth, Ireland. It was established in 1987 and is owned by Suntory Global Spirits, a subsidiary of Suntory Holdings of Osaka, Japan. It makes Connemara, Kilbeggan and The Tyrconnell among others.
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Cooley at a glance
Distillery fact | Verified detail |
|---|---|
Distillery / brand | Cooley |
Country and region | County Louth, Ireland |
Ownership / operator | Suntory Global Spirits |
History | John Teeling bought a former state-owned potato alcohol plant in 1985 and, in less than two years, converted it into a distillery with two column stills. In 1998 Cooley received a… |
Whisky identity | Cooley produces Irish malt and grain whiskey, while its brands can incorporate different production sites. |
Visiting | Check the producer's latest official tour and opening information before travelling. |
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History
John Teeling bought a former state-owned potato alcohol plant in 1985 and, in less than two years, converted it into a distillery with two column stills. In 1998 Cooley received a trophy at the International Wine and Spirit Competition for outstanding quality, and it was the first distillery to be awarded that trophy.
On 16 December 2011 Beam Inc. announced plans to buy Cooley for around US$95 million. The sale closed in January 2012. Suntory bought Beam in 2014. John Teeling went on to found the Great Northern Distillery in Dundalk, and his sons Jack and Stephen founded the Teeling Whiskey Company in Dublin.
How it is made
Cooley has both column stills and pot stills. Unlike most Irish whiskeys, which are usually distilled three times, Cooley's products are generally distilled twice.
The range
Current products include:
Kilbeggan, a blended Irish whiskey, with 15 and 18 year old versions released
Kilbeggan Single Grain, made with corn and aged in bourbon casks
Connemara, a peated single malt that is double distilled and aged in bourbon casks
The Tyrconnell, a single malt brand Cooley acquired in 1988, dormant since 1925
2 Gingers, a blended whiskey acquired by Beam a year after its release
Awards
Cooley has won over 300 medals since opening, including European Distiller of the Year in 2008 and 2009 and Distillery of the Year in 2008 from the International Wine and Spirit Competition.
Visiting Cooley
Since the change of ownership, visitor access is limited and public tours are not available.
The man behind Cooley
John Teeling was born in Dublin in 1946 and studied at Wharton and Harvard. A 2026 LegacyDram profile says his doctoral work looked at the decline of Irish whiskey from about 60 per cent of world whisky sales in the late nineteenth century to under 2 per cent by the early 1970s. In 1987 only two producers made Irish whiskey, Irish Distillers and Bushmills. Cooley broke that duopoly.
Setting up in 1987
The site was a former State industrial alcohol plant on the Cooley Peninsula. Wikipedia says Teeling bought it in 1985 and converted it in less than two years. LegacyDram says he founded Cooley in 1987, and the Whiskipedia entry says distilling began on Easter Monday 1987. The page already says established in 1987, so the 1985 date refers to the purchase. Cooley kept column stills, added pot stills and chose double distillation, unlike the triple distillation used at Midleton and Bushmills.
Brands built up around it
The Tyrconnell: acquired as a brand in 1988 after being dormant since 1925, when the old Watt's Distillery closed (Wikipedia)
Kilbeggan: Locke's Distillery at Kilbeggan, County Westmeath was bought in 1988 according to LegacyDram, while Wikipedia places the purchase in 1987. Distilling resumed there on 19 March 2007 according to LegacyDram.
Connemara: launched in 1996 as an Irish peated single malt (LegacyDram), double distilled and aged in bourbon casks (Wikipedia)
2 Gingers: a blend founded in 2011 by Kieran Folliard and bought by Beam a year later (Wikipedia)
Output and capacity
Stories and Sips gives Cooley a capacity of 650,000 litres of malt whiskey and 2.6 million litres of grain whiskey a year, with up to 12,000 ex-bourbon casks filled each year. A March 2025 industry table quoted on the Triple Distilled blog gives 3.0 million litres for grain and 1.0 million for malt and pot still. The two sources use different measures, so treat both as approximate.
The sale
Beam announced the purchase on 16 December 2011 for about US$95 million, and the sale closed on 17 January 2012. Suntory bought Beam on 30 April 2014. Cooley now sits within Suntory Global Spirits. LegacyDram reports that Cooley took eleven years to reach annual profit, a claim from a single source.
After Cooley
John Teeling went on to found the Great Northern Distillery in Dundalk, and his sons Jack and Stephen founded the Teeling Whiskey Company. Great Northern says its owners previously established Cooley and rebuilt Kilbeggan before selling both in 2012. Stories and Sips notes that many older Irish whiskeys sold today by other brands were distilled at Cooley.
Frequently asked questions
Who owns Cooley Distillery?
Suntory Global Spirits, part of Suntory Holdings of Osaka, Japan.
Is Connemara made at Cooley?
Yes. Connemara is a peated single malt made at Cooley.
Can you tour Cooley?
Public tours are not available.
Sources
Further sources checked and gaps
Loaded: Wikipedia (full extract), Stories and Sips Cooley page, LegacyDram profile, Triple Distilled blog, Great Northern Distillery site, Whisky.com Cooley page (photos and rating only, no facts used). Not tried: Beam Suntory or Suntory corporate pages, Whisky Advocate, Whiskybase, ScotchWhisky.com. Gaps: current core range strengths and ABVs, and the stills inventory. Public tours are not offered at Cooley, according to Wikipedia and Stories and Sips, so visitors usually go to Kilbeggan instead.
What makes Cooley distinctive?
Cooley produces Irish malt and grain whiskey, while its brands can incorporate different production sites.
Cooley whisky bottles and expression comparison
Bottle / expression | Age | ABV | Cask maturation / notes |
|---|---|---|---|
Connemara Peated Single Malt | NAS / varies | Check label | Cooley produces Irish malt and grain whiskey, while its brands can incorporate different production sites. |
The Tyrconnell Single Malt | NAS / varies | Check label | Cooley produces Irish malt and grain whiskey, while its brands can incorporate different production sites. |
Kilbeggan Blended Irish Whiskey | NAS / varies | Check label | Cooley produces Irish malt and grain whiskey, while its brands can incorporate different production sites. |
This table describes documented expressions. It does not guarantee current stock, age statements or strengths. Check producer labels for details.
More distilleries to explore
Frequently asked questions about Cooley
Where is Cooley based?
County Louth, Ireland.
Who operates Cooley?
Suntory Global Spirits.
What distinguishes Cooley?
Cooley produces Irish malt and grain whiskey, while its brands can incorporate different production sites.
Which bottlings are documented?
Connemara Peated Single Malt, The Tyrconnell Single Malt, Kilbeggan Blended Irish Whiskey. Some editions may be historical.
Can you visit Cooley?
Please check whether tours are currently operating and book through the producer before travelling.
Sources and editorial checks
Original research and historical notes have been retained. Visitor details, owners and bottle ranges may change.
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About the author
 | Filip Janczak Storyteller, drinker and explorer of all things whisky. Read more about the person behind Whisky Clan and explore additional reviews and distillery guides. |
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