Our Story

THE PAST

WCD was formed in 2003 by childhood friends, John O’Connell, Ger McCarthy and Denis McCarthy at a time when it made very little economic sense to do so. The early years were far from glamorous, operating in a room at the back of Denis’ house in Union Hall with two small stills we bought from a schnapps producer in Switzerland. In 2014 we moved to a new distillery in Skibbereen.
THE PRESENT

We currently operate out of a 12.5 acre site on Marsh Road, with a distillation capacity of 4mln litres of pure alcohol. With distributors across the globe, our award winning West Cork Irish Whiskey is now sold in almost 70 countries. Case sales have risen considerably every year for the past six years and our staff has grown to over 80 people, with the majority based locally in West Cork.
THE FUTURE

We want to make Irish whiskey accessible. We will continue to expand our operation but maintain our Irish ownership and stay true to our West Cork heritage. The opening of the new distillery makes us the largest, wholly Irish owned distillery in the country. Meanwhile, more jobs, new products and additional warehouses are being added to meet rising demand. Our award winning West Cork Irish Whiskey is now sold in almost 70 countries, making it one of the best Irish whiskeys available.

AN EXPRESSION OF PLACE

We don’t say it ourselves, but it has often been said about West Cork Distillers that it is a place built and run by the people, for the people. As a growing company, we are committed to providing sustainable employment to this unspoiled part of the world we call home.

West Cork itself has a proud history in artisan food and beverage production and we intend to uphold this fine reputation. We source the best of ingredients locally where possible and rely on many local service providers to deliver our product worldwide.

The Distillery

“TO MAKE IRISH WHISKEY ACCESSIBLE WORLDWIDE WHILE MAINTAINING OUR IRISH OWNERSHIP & WEST CORK HERITAGE.”

— Our Mission

OUR PEOPLE

Every employee plays an equally important role in living our mission statement. We encourage every employee to have confidence in their abilities and take pride in what they do. In turn, our people strive to exceed clients expectations, build trust and develop long-lasting relationships.

If you are inquisitive and curious, unafraid of the unknown and aspire for more than just the conventional, we’d love to hear from you.

Join Us

OUR VALUES

Unconventional

We foster an environment where standard practices are challenged, unconventional ideas are explored, and new solutions can evolve.

Belief

We believe in the ability of each individual to deliver exceptional results for the company and back them with the support to do so.

Responsibility

We partner with many local service providers, provide sustainable employment and reinvest profits back into the Irish economy.

Respect

Our people have different backgrounds, attributes and talents. This diversity requires respect and fairness in all of our interactions.

AWARD WINNING PRODUCTS

Our core range of West Cork Irish Whiskey has won numerous awards and is available in over 70 countries worldwide, making it one of the best Irish whiskeys available. Each bottle of whiskey is triple distilled, matured for a minimum of three years and then bottled on site at our West Cork facility. We also produce whiskey and gin for some of the largest retailers and well-known personalities in the country, as well as our own branded gin (Garnish Island) and vodka (Two Trees).

Our Range

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