Copeland Distillery

History

Copeland Distillery started in 2016, when crowdfunding raised around £30,000 from more than 370 Founders. After nine months, the distillery opened in Donaghadee, County Down, in a 6,500 square metres building by the harbour — a project that gave new life to a town with a strong maritime history. The distillery describes itself as part of a \"coastal spirit,\" and the story ties to the Copeland Islands and smuggling in the area for centuries. The distillery has three copper stills — two whisky stills and one gin still — named Betty, Hessie and Pam. The four core values are Taste, Innovation, Heritage and Community, and they emphasise using local botanicals and fruits from County Down, including Sea Pink Maritima foraged from the Copeland Islands. This anchoring in local craftsmanship and coastal history pervades all their products.

Production / Manufacturing

Copeland produces gin, rum and whiskey with a coastal-inspired profile. Their Traditional Irish Gin uses 12 botanicals, where Sea Pink Maritima and navel orange are central, distilled at 45% ABV and rested for two weeks before bottling. The process begins with maceration of botanicals in alcohol for 16–24 hours and continues in a 300 L copper column still, where extra orange and botanicals are added. The Smugglers’ Reserve Rum is a blend of light Rum distilled in Donaghadee and heavy rum from Barbados, aged in bourbon casks and finished in Pinot Noir casks for complex notes. The whiskey range includes 25.3 (Single Malt) and 25.4 (Pot Still), both with long aging – 25.3 at least 5 years with finishing in Pinot Noir casks; 25.4 mash at 50/50 malt and unmalted grain, aged in first-fill bourbon for about 4 years and finished in Pinot Noir for about 4 months. Merchants’ Quay Blended Irish Whiskey consists of grain whiskey as well as double- and triple-distilled malt whiskey, aged in four different casks and unfiltered. In addition, there is Merchants’ Quay 5 year old Single Grain, finished in Moscatel and Pedro Ximénez sherry casks. The Ulster Rugby series includes a Blended Irish Whiskey and a Centenary edition, while Jones 1778 Navy Strength Gin is aged in Kentucky bourbon casks and finished in Oloroso sherry casks, and the Rhuberry and Raspberry & Mint gins use local berries and herbs from County Down. Smugglers’ Reserve Rum and Bordeaux Grand Cru Rum represent the rum portfolio, where Rioja/Bordeaux-style finishes and Pinot Noir finishes occur, as well as some exclusive cask finishes. The production is driven by name, history and close contact with local producers and the geography around Donaghadee.

Products / Whisky Series

• Merchants’ Quay Blended Irish Whiskey – Grain (coarse), double and triple-malt, aged in four casks; natural colour; 40% ABV.

• Merchants’ Quay 5 year old Single Grain Irish Whiskey – 5 years in American Bourbon casks, finished in Moscatel and Pedro Ximénez sherry casks; 46% ABV.

• 25.3 Single Malt Irish Whiskey – Single Malt, at least 5 years old; finishing in ex California Pinot Noir cask, blended from eight casks; 58.4% ABV; non-chill filtered, natural colour.

• 25.3 Cask Strength Single Malt Irish Whiskey – same mash and profile as 25.3, but cask strength; 58.4% ABV.

• 25.4 Pot Still Irish Whiskey – Double distilled pot still; 50% malted and 50% unmalted grain; aged in first-fill American Bourbon cask approx. 4 years and finished in Pinot Noir for about 4 months; 46% ABV.

• Ulster Rugby Blended Irish Whiskey – blend of grain, double- and triple-malt aged in four cask types; 42% ABV.

• Ulster Rugby Centenary Irish Whiskey – 5-year-old pot still; 46% ABV; 280 bottles produced.

• The Copeland Collection – tasting pack with 50 ml bottles of Traditional Irish Gin, Smugglers’ Reserve Rum and Merchants’ Quay Irish Whiskey.

• Bordeaux Grand Cru Rum – 70 cl, 42% ABV; aged in French casks finished in Bordeaux Grand Cru casks.

• Smugglers’ Reserve Rum – 70 cl, 40% ABV; blend of light and heavy rum, aged in bourbon and Pinot Noir casks; finishing in Pinot Noir casks provides depth and spice.

• Smugglers’ Reserve Oloroso Sherry Single Cask Rum – 70 cl, 50% ABV; finished in a single Oloroso Sherry cask.

• Merchants’ Quay 5 year old Single Grain Irish Whiskey – as mentioned above.

Visits / Experiences

The Copeland Distillery offers the Copeland Distillery Experience: about 1–1.5 hours on site with a tasting of gin, rum and whiskey, as well as a tour of the production and the history around the Copeland Islands and Donaghadee. The ticket price is around £25, and the tours are open to adults (18+). Booking, cancellations and schedules are handled via their site and practices follow their terms. The tour ends in the distillery's visitor centre with the opportunity to purchase products and merchandise.

Philosophy

Copeland Distillery operates on four values: Taste, Innovation, Heritage, and Community. They believe in creating meaningful flavor experiences through innovative distilling practices and by reflecting the region's history and coastal culture. They emphasise using local botanicals and fruits from County Down to reflect the geographical identity and the history around the Copeland Islands and Donaghadee. Their portfolio ranges from gins with 12 botanicals and coastal notes, to rum and whiskey that build on both local ingredients and coastal history. The distillery describes itself as a \"coastal spirit\" and as part of Northern Ireland’s spirit village, expressing local heritage and craftsmanship through their products and experiences.