Clonakilty Distillery announces launch of its whiskey, vodka and gin in the UK and RTD cans in Japan
Clonakilty Distillery’s award-winning Irish whiskey, gin and vodka will be sold in the UK from Thursday, 1 May as the brand has announced a partnership with drinks distributor Marussia Beverages.
It represents the latest market expansion for the distillery, which has experienced significant growth and expansion in recent years after solidifying its position in both domestic and key international markets.
The company is now distributing in over a dozen countries – including United States, Canada, South Africa, Japan, France, South Korea, the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Poland, Switzerland, Italy, and Austria.
Clonakilty Distillery fermentation tank
One of Ireland’s leading distillers of Irish whiskey and gin, products such as Clonakilty Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey, their range of blended Irish Whiskeys and Minke Irish Gin and Vodka will now be available to UK customers.
The partnership with Marussia Beverages UK will see Clonakilty Distillery join a portfolio of brands, including Akashi-Tai Sake and Mozart Chocolate Liqueurs, strengthening its position with UK retailers.
According to Clonakilty Distillery founder Michael Scully: “Given that Clonakilty and Marussia Beverages are already working successfully in other markets including France and the US, this is an exciting opportunity to introduce our brands to a wider audience in the UK and lay the foundations in making Clonakilty Irish whiskies and white spirits, the premium choice for discerning UK consumers.”
Managing director of Marussia Beverages UK, Trevenon Weeks said: “As a family-owned distillery that produces exceptional spirits, Clonakilty was a natural fit for our portfolio of artisanal producers.
“The Irish whiskey market is expanding and I am delighted to be partnered with a distillery as prestigious as Clonakilty. Their credentials, coupled with our reputation for distributing leading artisanal spirits, puts us in a prime position to establish Clonakilty in the UK as a premium Irish whiskey and white spirits brand.”
RTD launch for Japanese market
In other news for the brand, Clonakilty Distillery’s limited-edition Whiskey Highball and Gin Soda RTDs in cans were officially launched in Lawson convenience stores across Japan on 22 April. Lawson is Japan’s third-largest convenience store chain, with over 14,000 stores nationwide.
RTD cans of Clonakilty Gin Soda and Highball outside a Lawson store.
Scully says that this was a big moment for the brand. “For a small, family-run distillery on the coast of Ireland, seeing our products on shelves across Japan is a huge milestone. It’s not every day a craft producer like ours gets this kind of opportunity — and we’re incredibly proud of what our team at Clonakilty and partners in Japan have made happen,” he says.
“The response so far has been fantastic, and we’re excited to see how this collaboration continues to grow awareness of the Clonakilty name in what has become an increasingly important market for us.”
Clonakilty sells its products in Japan, South Korea and will enter the Chinese market later this year. Clonakilty Distillery’s whiskey and gin have been popular in bottles up until now but are now available in an easy-to-enjoy 350ml RTD can. This RTD initiative will increase its product offerings and brand awareness across the entire region.
Clonakilty is also considering a later launch of these products in the Irish market.
