PJ Rigney a finalist in Entrepreneur Awards
The EY Entrepreneur of the Year finalists have been shortlisted from over 110 nominations received from across the island of Ireland by an independent judging panel of previous winners.
PJ revolutionised the global drinks market in the 1990s, inventing the twin-bottle Sheridan’s Cream Liqueur, then did it all over again with Boru Irish Vodka ($100 million-plus valuation IPO on the AMEX as part of Castle Brands).
Founded in December 2014, The Shed Distillery’s first-ever brand, Drumshanbo Gunpowder Irish Gin, was launched by April 2016.
Quickly, the brand became a global phenomenon, landing in 25 international markets including the US, the UK, Russia & Australia. High-profile establishments ranged from Cunard, Disney and Selfridges to Tesco & Target in the US, with fans as diverse as the Prince of Monaco & Kodaline.
At home, the brand quickly became #1, voted Ireland’s Best Gin two years running at the National Gin & Tonic Fest.
Last December The Shed Distillery’s first whiskey (and Connaught’s first whiskey in 104 years) officially came of age on Winter Solstice, with the first cask valued at €100,000.
This March PJ launched Sausage Tree Pure Irish Vodka at Prowein in Germany (the world’s Number 1 international trade fair for wines & spirits).
Turnover at The Shed Distillery reached €6 million in just three years, production has expanded, two new mediaeval copper-pot stills have been installed and 15 more employees have been added to the team.
With the continued international growth of Drumshanbo Gunpowder Irish Gin, the launch of Sausage Tree Pure Irish Vodka, a new €2 million visitor experience & with plans to release the first ‘Premier Grand Cru’ whiskey next year, the workforce will soon grow to more than 50.
