Blacks Brewing & Distilling Kinsale

About the distillery

Blacks are in Kinsale in Co. Cork, out at the far edge of the Wild Atlantic Way, and are both a brewery and a distillery under the same roof. The site is Ireland’s first co-located brewery and distillery, and it shows in the lineup, where beer, gin, rum, and whiskey constantly cross paths. For whiskey lovers, it’s especially interesting because the house works uncompromisingly with mash bills, casks, and finishes—while using the brewery’s world as part of the distillery’s identity.

History

Blacks was founded in 2013 by the real-life couple Sam and Maud Black. The story began as a homebrewing project, when Maud gave Sam a home brewing kit, and it quickly grew into Blacks Brewing & Distilling in Kinsale. From the start, they went for a free approach to flavor instead of following the classic Irish model. First came the flavor-driven craft beers, then gin and rum, and later whiskey. In December 2020, the distillery’s first whiskey distilled in Kinsale—the first whiskey ever from the town—was released. This led to the First Flight series, highlighted as a historical breakthrough. In April 2021, aging of the first whiskeys was completed after ongoing tasting and profiling, and Blacks could present its first matured whiskey expressions. Since then, the distillery has continued to build on the idea of pushing boundaries with unexpected mash bills, casks, and finishes.

Ingredients and production

Blacks distill in the copper stills Morrigan and Bonny and work with a clear crossover between brewery and distillery. In the whiskey range, both malted barley and expressions with un-malted barley, oats, wheat, and rye are used, while other products are based on Irish corn, Irish apples, or even the brewery’s starting point: KPA craft beer. Traditional copper pot distillation is used, and some products are described as small batch. For the vodka, triple filtration is mentioned, and several whiskey releases are all-natural with no chill filtration and no added colour. It’s also a place where the brewery’s own beers get a second life in the glass—like when Irish Beirschnaps is distilled exclusively from KPA craft beer. This approach makes the production unusually broad for an Irish spirits venue and tightly links brewery and distillery.

Maturation and cask types

Maturation is one of Blacks’ most important signatures. First Flight Single Malt has been aged for four years in port casks, while First Flight Single Pot Still is aged in oloroso sherry casks. Triple Threat is built on bourbon, sherry, and virgin American oak casks, and in other expressions, maple bourbon casks, IPA casks, Black IPA casks, OG Kush IPA casks, and previously Irish rum on casks are used—later for whiskey finishes. Irish Apple Brandy has been aged for six years in oak, and the Black Beak universe—as well as the rum releases—shows that Blacks actively uses the cask type to move the spirit in directions that are both sweet, spicy, smoky, and fruity. It’s especially the finish and the targeted use of former beer and rum casks that give the house a clearly experimental character.

Whiskeys

The whiskey range runs from the historic First Flight duo to more playful and approachable expressions like Triple Threat, Maple Mayhem, Black Smoke, and Citrus Galaxy. In addition, there are several 8-year-old single grain and single malt releases with IPA-forward cask choices, as well as a distinct 18-year-old single malt with a rum-cask finish. Overall, the portfolio paints a picture of a distillery that doesn’t stick to just one style, but works with both classic Irish whiskey templates and far more experimental solutions. It’s a range where cask finishes and blending of grain varieties matter just as much as age and strength.

Whiskey styles and flavor profile

The overall style ranges from dark fruit and soft sweetness to clear smoke and hopped freshness. Triple Threat brings together summer fruits, cinnamon buns, caramel, butterscotch, and vanilla. Black Smoke goes in another direction with smoked peatiness, heather, honey, toffee, and deep peat. Citrus Galaxy draws on baked apple, pear, rosewater, galaxy hops, liquorice, cloves, dark chocolate, and butterscotch. In the more cask-forward end, vanilla, sticky toffee pudding, dried sultanas, and oak wood show up, so Blacks’ whiskey profile is both sweet, spicy, fruity, roasted, and clearly experimental.

Visit the distillery

Blacks can be visited in Kinsale, and booking is part of the experience. Guests can choose between Blacks Brewing & Distilling Tour, Black Beak Gin Tour, Connoisseur’s Whiskey Experience, VIP Whiskey Experience, Rum Voyager, Beer Flight & Tour, and The Blacks Beer Experience—typically as 60-minute experiences. On site, there’s also the Lagoon Bar, a fully licensed bar area with views of the Bandon Estuary, where you can taste beer, gin, and whiskey that are made on site. There’s also a shop and a tour collection around the visit, so it works as both a tasting and a destination.

See times and book a visit.

Philosophy and craft

Blacks describes itself as flavour mavericks. They don’t want to follow the typical Irish approach, but instead consciously try new things for the sake of flavor. The philosophy is to blend mash bills, pair unique liquids, and use cask finishes that push the category. At the same time, there’s a strong local anchor in Kinsale and a focus on sustainability through Origin Green, energy use, water use, waste, and social initiatives in the local community.

Sustainability

Member of Ireland’s Origin Green sustainability programme.
Replacement of single-use plastic kegs.
Reduction of energy consumption and improvement of resource efficiency rating.
Reduction of water consumption.
Reduction of recyclable landfill waste.
Social sustainability via local groups and charities.

Awards and recognition

• Gold medal award winning (Winner, First Flight Single Malt Port Cask)

• Gold Medal (2020, Winner, Blacks Golden Rum 40%)

• Gold Medal Winner (2020, Winner, Black Beak Juniper Tempest Irish Gin)