Cooley Distillerys' Gold Rush Continues

Cooley Distillery claims more Gold Medals at 2011 International Wine & Spirits Competition.

The multi-award winning Irish whiskey distiller, continued its phenomenal success at the International Wine & Spirits Competition, (IWSC) held in London, by claiming a further 8 IWSC Gold medals.

The medal haul included a record 4 Gold Medals for its Connemara Peated Single Malt Irish whiskey range including two Best in Class honours reaffirming its place as the most honoured Irish Single Malt of all time at International Spirits Competitions.

Other repeat winners for Cooley at the IWSC included the Lockes 8 Yr Old Single Malt and Tyrconnell 10 Yr Old Madeira Finish Single Malt. Two recently launched products, the Kilbeggan 18 Yr Old Deluxe Blended Irish whiskey and the Greenore 18 Yr Old Single Grain Irish Whiskey also both claimed Gold medals in their maiden IWSC competition.

Jack Teeling, Managing Director of Cooley Distillery, commented, “The Irish whiskey industry is in rude health. There are opportunities in many markets around the world where Irish whiskey exports are benefitting from the industry’s collective success. The International awards we receive each year for the quality of our products will enable us to take advantage of this opportunity.

This latest success at the International Wine & Spirits Competition is a testament to the dedication and hard work of our staff. It is a further ringing endorsement on the International stage of the quality and consistency of the whiskey being produced by Cooley”.

Founded in 1987, Cooley Distillery has won a total of 40 IWSC Gold medals over the last 5 years.

This year on year success has resulted in Cooley Distillery being named European Distiller of the Year by the IWSC for the last three years running and is shortlisted for the 2011 European Distiller of the Year Award, the results of which will be announced at the 2011 IWSC Competition Banquet that will be held in the Guildhall in London on the 16th November 2011.

Summery of this years IWSC London wins

Gold Medal & Best in Class, Connemara Peated Single Malt

Gold Medal & Best in Class, Connemara Turf Mór Peated Single Malt

Gold Medal & Best in Class, Tyrconnell 10 Year Old Madeira Finish Single Malt
Gold Medal & Best in Class, Lockes 8 Yr Old Single Malt

Gold Medal, Connemara 18 Year Old Single Cask Peated Single Malt

Gold Medal, Connemara 12 Year Old Peated Single Malt

Gold Medal, Kilbeggan 18 Year Old Blended Irish whiskey

Gold Medal, Greenore 18 Year Old Single Grain Irish whiskey


You Can find Connemare award Winning Irish Whiskeys at www.whiskys.co.uk 

Cooley Gold Rush continues in the USA

Irish distillery collects 12 Gold Medals at San Francisco World Spirits Competition.

This week Cooley Distillery, Ireland’s only independent whiskey distillery, continued its phenomenal strike rate on the international circuit by claiming 12 gold medals at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition.
The 11th annual San Francisco World Spirits Competition brought together a panel of 33 judges from across the industry to taste and score a record number of entries, 1,106 products from 61 countries. The judges awarded Double Gold, Gold, Silver and Bronze medals to the participating brands and special awards to the most outstanding spirit in its class.

Cooley won the top award, the coveted Double Gold Medal for its Connemara Cask Strength Peated Single Malt, Tyrconnell 10 Yr Old Madeira Finish Single Malt, Tyrconnell 10 Yr Old Port Finish Single Malt and topped it off with a Double Gold Medal and Best in Class for the Michael Collins 10 Yr Old Single Malt it produces for US importer Sidney Frank.

In addition, Cooley collected Gold Medals for its Kilbeggan 15 Yr Old, its Tyrconnell 10 Yr Old Sherry Finish Single Malt and for two further expressions of its Connemara brand.

Jack Teeling, Managing Director of Cooley Distillery, commented, “This latest success proves that Cooley is consistently producing some of the finest whiskeys in the world today.

These awards will further elevate the profile of Cooley Distillery in the US which is now the largest market for Irish whiskey in the world and continues to grow by double digit figures year on year. In 2010, we doubled our sales of whiskey to the US and our recent awards will help us continue this growth in 2011.”

Cooley Distillery San Francisco World Spirits Competition award winning whiskeys:
Double Gold Medal & Best in Class, Michael Collins 10 Yr Old Single Malt
Double Gold Medal, Connemara Cask Strength Irish Whiskey
Double Gold Medal, The Tyrconnell 10 Year Old Single Malt Irish Whiskey, Madeira Finish
Double Gold Medal, The Tyrconnell 10 Year Old Single Malt Irish Whiskey, Port Finish
Gold Medal, The Tyrconnell 10 Year Old Single Malt Irish Whiskey, Sherry Finish
Gold Medal, Connemara Peated Irish Whiskey
Gold Medal, Connemara 12 Year Old Irish Whiskey

Gold Medal, Kilbeggan 15 Year Old Irish Whiskey
Silver Medal, Connemara Turf Mor Irish Whiskey
Silver Medal, Greenore 15 Year Old Single Malt Irish Whiskey,
Silver Medal, Kilbeggan Irish Whiskey
Silver Medal, The Tyrconnell Single Malt Irish Whiskey,
Bronze Medal, Greenore 8 Year Old Single Malt Irish Whiskey

For More Information about the Cooley Distillery Click Here

To buy Cooley Distillery Brands in The UK Click Here

Connemara Single Malt Irish Whiskey at Cask Strength 57.9%

While the whiskey is bottled at around 60% it still retains its distinctive smoothness while capturing the essence of Connemara as the whiskey and peat characteristics are much more pronounced appealing to drinkers who like a stronger peat taste.

Connemara Single Malt Irish Whiskey at Cask Strength 57.9% Tasting Notes

Nose:  Expressive aroma with a vibrant presence of malt and peaty smokiness.

Taste:  Smooth, melodious taste with a superb mix of fruit and peat.

Finish:  Strong spice bite in the finish that dominates but doesn't overwhelm the delicious creamy peatiness.


For More details about Connemare Irish Whisky Click Here


To purchase Connemare Irish Whiskey at Cask Strength Click Here

Connemara Irish Whiskey Sherry finish 46% 70cl

Connemara – Peated Single Malt Irish Whiskey

A tribute to an Irish whiskey making tradition.
Limited Edition Sherry Cask Finished.. 

Connemare Peated Single Malt a truly unique Irish whiskey, is famous for its smooth sweet taste that combines artfully with its complex malt and peat flavours.

This limited edition small batch bottling involves finishing Connemara in Sherry casks imparting further depth and flavour to the whiskey.

The sweetness and spiciness of the Sherry interacts with the malt and peat flavours of Connemara resulting in a remarkably well balanced masterpiece.

Nose: Rich gentle smoky nose followed by flowery fragrance and some distinct sherry notes.

Taste: well rounded mouth offers a full range of flavour plus  lots of citrus and marmalade.

Finish: good balance and long, impressive finish.

For tasting notes about Connemare Irish Whisky Click Here

You can buy this whiskey at whiskys.co.uk

Connemara 12 year Old Peated Single Malt Irish Whiskey

Alcohol content: 40%
Colour: - A pale golden colour

Nose: - An expressive nose with a vibrant presence of peat.

Taste: - Smooth, melodious taste with a superb mix of fruit and peat. Round and full character with tantalizing traces of almond, marzipan and biscuit.

Finish: - A strong spicy bite to the finish that is dominated by an extraordinary peat explosion with a vanilla creaminess that luxuriates across the mouth, leaving a long finish on the palate.

Serving suggestion:- Connemara 12 year old can be enjoyed neat or with a little water to release the bouquet.

Click here for more information about the Connemara Irish Whiskey..

You can Buy Connemara Irish Whiskey at www.whiskys.co.uk

Connemara Irish Whiskey 40%, 70cl

Connemara is a wild, mountainous region on the west coast of Ireland, lying between the Atlantic Ocean and Loughs Corrib and Mask.



The majestic mountains, lakes, streams, glens and rain soaked peat bogs create a landscape of unique natural beauty.



The peat bogs of Connemara are major fuel sources to the region and have played an important role throughout Irish history in the evolution of energy and as an employment source.



Connemara Peated Single Malt Irish Whiskey is a tribute to this region. Its complex characters and peaty taste revive a tradition that in recent years has been forgotten by Irish distillers throughout the country. A forgotten tradition recaptured by Cooley Distillery with Connemara Peated Single Malt.



Connemara Single Malt Irish Whiskey Tasting Note -


Distillery Tasting Notes - "The Smoky One"


Nose – Smokey peatiness balanced by hints of honey and dried fruits.


Taste – Silky smooth with a honey sweet start, followed by malt and fruit flavours giving way to full bodied peat.


Finish – Long and glorious with golden honey notes and a deep peaty finish.


Michael Jackson tasting note kindly supplied by the Whisky Magazine


Nose: Pronounced smoke rather than peat, both are evident.



Palate: Syrupy, sweet grass. Smokey some drier hints of phenol. A suggestion of juicy wood extracts of sherry rounding out the flavours.



Finish: Smokey and emphatically grassy. Sweet grass with spicy dryness.



Comment: Lots happening. Chimney pots of smoke. I love this whisky.


More information about Connemara Irish Whiskey Click here..
You can buy Connemara Single Malt Irish Whiskey at www.whiskys.co.uk/

Connemara 40%, Single Peated Malt Irish Whisky

Irish single malt whiskey.

Nose: Pronounced smoke rather than peat, both are evident.

Palate: Syrupy, sweet grass. Smokey some drier hints of phenol. A suggestion of juicy wood extracts osf sherry rounding out the flavours.

Finish: Smokey and emphatically grassy. Sweet grass with spicy dryness.

Comment: Lots happening. Chimney pots of smoke. I love this whisky.

Other Irish whiskies