Whiskey from the historic mill: Gareth McAllister about Ahascragh

[Advertorial] The Ahascragh Distillery in the west of Ireland combines traditional whisky-making with a sustainable approach to production. In a restored 19th-century grain mill, Gareth McAllister and his wife Michelle produce, amongst other things, single malt and single pot still spirit – using renewable energy exclusively. In Germany, Ireland’s first ‘Zero Energy Emissions Distillery’ is collaborating with Irish Spirits by Mareike Spitzer.

In this interview, we spoke to Gareth McAllister about the distillery, the ‘Zero Energy Emissions’ concept, and the whiskies and cask maturations.

You founded Ahascragh together with your wife Michelle. How did the idea of creating your own distillery come about, and why did you choose Ahascragh in the West of Ireland?

Gareth McAllister: Michelle and I had always wanted to turn our passion for Irish spirits into a family business. We were living in Hong Kong when we first saw the old mill online. We knew that the home of the brand had to be in the West of Ireland and, during a business trip to Galway in 2018, we took a detour to find it.

Although the mill had been empty for almost 70 years and was completely overgrown, we immediately saw its character and potential. We had always preferred the idea of restoring and repurposing an existing building rather than constructing a new one.

Ahascragh gave us the opportunity to bring an important part of the village back to life while creating a long-term home for our family of spirits.

What makes this location in a restored 19th-century grain mill special to you, and what role does the local community play?

Gareth McAllister: The mill is a protected 19th-century building with beautiful stonework and a remarkable industrial history. It was originally powered by water, and its two separate buildings lend themselves particularly well to distilling. Restoring it allowed us to preserve that heritage while placing modern production technology inside it.

The local community has supported the project from the beginning. For many people, the most important thing was simply to see the old mill brought back into use. We have also repurposed other previously vacant buildings in the village for hospitality, bottling and dispatch. Our aim is to create employment, attract visitors and help put Ahascragh on the map, while remaining part of village life rather than standing apart from it.

Ahascragh describes itself as Ireland’s first “Zero Energy Emissions Distillery”. What does that mean in practice, and how does your production differ from that of a conventional whiskey distillery?

Gareth McAllister: In practice, zero-energy emissions means that we do not burn fossil fuels or gas to provide the energy used in distillation. Our eco-distillery is powered exclusively by renewable electricity, including wind and solar, combined with high-temperature heat-pump technology.

We use heat recovery and thermal-energy storage to capture and reuse energy that a conventional distillery would normally waste. The system can deliver process temperatures above 115°C. This approach is designed to avoid approximately 1,690 tonnes of Scope 1 and 2 CO2 emissions each year compared with a conventional design.

We also monitor and minimise water use through an automated clean-in-place system, use water from our own wells and are working to integrate hydro power through the restored mill wheel.

Which styles of whiskey are you producing at Ahascragh, and what character do you want your own Ahascragh Whiskey to have once the first casks have reached maturity?

Gareth McAllister: We are producing both single malt and single pot still spirit at Ahascragh. Our single malt is double distilled, while our single pot still is triple distilled. We use local barley where possible and water from our own wells, and our mash-filter system gives us flexibility with multi-grain mash bills while improving separation and yield.

The first Ahascragh Whiskey is planned for release in early 2027.

We want it to be clearly identifiable as a spirit of this distillery: clean, characterful and fruit-forward, with the texture and spice expected from Irish pot still whiskey and the elegance of carefully made malt. Our focus on copper contact, precise distillation and thoughtful wood management should allow the distillate and the cask to complement one another rather than one overwhelming the other.

What products does your portfolio include, and what makes them stand out?

Gareth McAllister: Our whiskey portfolio is built around the Family Bond Series. UAIS is a triple blend of pot still, single malt and grain whiskeys matured in ex-bourbon and virgin oak casks; it is approachable but layered, and its packaging was designed with sustainability in mind.

Clan Colla is our super-premium collection of hand-selected aged releases, including single grain, blends and single malts finished or matured in casks such as Panamanian rum, Bordeaux, Oloroso sherry, peated, Amarone and Pedro Ximénez. The Three Collas offers an accessible triple-cask expression.

We also produce Xin Gin at Ahascragh, combining European and Asian botanicals such as citrus, persimmon, dill and cinnamon, and Xin Gin 0.0 extends that flavour-led approach to the alcohol-free category.

Across the range, the common thread is quality, distinctive flavour and innovation rooted in our family story.

The Family Bond Series is an important part of your portfolio. What criteria do you use to select the whiskeys and, in particular, the casks for maturation and finishing?

Gareth McAllister: We begin with the quality and character of the spirit. It must be something Michelle and I genuinely enjoy and something that can carry further maturation or finishing without losing its identity. From there, we consider what a cask can add: fruit, spice, sweetness, texture or a contrasting note such as gentle smoke.

We select casks based on our own taste and on experiences gathered while travelling.

This is why the series has included finishes ranging from Panamanian rum and Bordeaux to Oloroso, Pedro Ximénez and Amarone.

The objective is balance rather than novelty for its own sake. We taste throughout maturation and bottle only when the spirit and wood are working together. The Family Bond Series also gives us valuable experience in wood management that will inform future Ahascragh-distilled releases.

The latest additions are the Clan Colla 13 Year Old Oloroso Cask Finish and The Three Collas Triple Cask Whiskey. What was the idea behind these two releases, and how do they differ in terms of flavour?

Gareth McAllister: The Clan Colla 13 Year Old was created to show the depth that a generous secondary maturation in Oloroso sherry casks can bring to an established Irish blend. The malt and grain whiskeys were matured in ex-bourbon barrels and Oloroso sherry butts, producing a rich but balanced profile.

On the nose there is apple and orange, toasted oak, honey and cream; the palate brings creamy sweetness, citrus, sherry, fruit, nuts, caramel and apricot, followed by a deep, warming finish.

The Three Collas Triple Cask was designed as a more accessible introduction to the Clan Colla family. Matured in ex-bourbon, sherry and virgin oak, it is smooth and balanced, with vanilla, orchard fruit, gentle spice and fresh oak.

The 13 Year Old is richer, more mature and sherry-led, while The Three Collas is lighter, versatile and intended for everyday enjoyment.

Looking a few years ahead, how do you see the portfolio developing once more and more whiskey distilled at Ahascragh becomes available?

Gareth McAllister: As increasing volumes of our own whiskey reach maturity, Ahascragh-distilled spirit will gradually become the centre of the portfolio. The Family Bond Series will remain important because it expresses our approach to selection, blending and cask finishing.

But our own single malt and single pot still whiskeys will give the distillery a truly individual signature.

We expect to develop a core range alongside smaller releases that explore different mash bills, cask types and maturation approaches. Locality will remain central through our water, local grain where possible, production in Ahascragh and maturation in the West of Ireland.

The aim is not to expand for its own sake, but to build a coherent premium portfolio in which every expression has a clear purpose and demonstrates both the quality of our spirit and the possibilities of sustainable distilling.

In Germany, you work with Irish Spirits. Why did you choose them as your distribution partner, and how important is the German market for Ahascragh?

Gareth McAllister: Irish Spirits has specialist knowledge of Irish whiskey and an established route to German whiskey enthusiasts, specialist retailers, hospitality customers and online consumers. That combination of category expertise and market access made them a natural partner for us.

Germany is an important market because consumers have a strong appreciation for quality, provenance and age statements, while interest in premium Irish whiskey continues to grow.

We also see a close alignment between German consumers and our sustainability story: people increasingly want to understand not only how a spirit tastes, but how and where it was made.

Working with a focused partner allows us to explain the detail behind the liquid, the restored mill and our zero-energy emissions production model, rather than treating Ahascragh as simply another imported brand.

What are your shared goals with Irish Spirits in Germany, and where would you like to position Ahascragh in the German market over the coming years?

Gareth McAllister: Our shared goal is to build Ahascragh carefully and sustainably in Germany, with the right specialist retailers, whiskey bars, restaurants and premium online channels.

In the near term, we want more consumers to discover UAIS, Clan Colla and The Three Collas through tastings, education and strong trade relationships.

Over the coming years, we want Ahascragh to be recognised as a distinctive premium Irish whiskey house: independent and family-founded, credible in its approach to sustainability, adventurous in cask selection and uncompromising on liquid quality.

The launch of our own Ahascragh-distilled whiskey will be an important next chapter. Irish Spirits will help us establish the foundation now so that, when those releases arrive, there is already an informed and engaged audience in Germany.

To finish off: Which of your whiskies do you personally prefer to drink, and why?

Gareth McAllister: My personal preference is the Clan Colla 11 Year Old Blend. It is matured in ex-bourbon, Oloroso sherry and peated casks, and I think it achieves an excellent balance between richness, fruit, spice and a gentle smoky character.

It is complex enough to return to and find something new, but it remains very approachable. I am particularly proud of how the three cask influences work together without any one of them dominating the whiskey.

Ahascragh | Website | Instagram | Facebook | LinkedIn

Irish Spirits | Website | Instagram | Facebook | LinkedIn

+++ We’d like to thank Gareth McAllister for the open and very interesting interview! If you have an interesting brand, we should talk. Just send us an email with the subject line “about-drinks Interview” to redaktion@about-drinks.com – we look forward to hearing from you! +++