| Country | ireland |
| Region | Belfast |
| Established | 1882 |
| Owner | United Distilleries Company Ltd (from c. 1908; distillery closed 1929) |
| Type | Grain whiskey distillery (Coffey stills; pot stills added c. 1908) |
| Number of stills | 2 Coffey (column) stills; 2 pot stills added c. 1908 |
| Visitor center | No |
| Status | Closed |
| Phone | n/a |
Avoniel Distillery is a former Irish whiskey distillery that stood in the Avoniel area of east Belfast, Northern Ireland. It was founded in 1882 and closed in 1929, having become part of Belfast's cluster of major whiskey producers during the city's "golden age" of distilling. Unusually for an Irish distillery of its era, Avoniel was built primarily as a grain distillery, running large Coffey (column) stills rather than relying solely on pot stills.
Avoniel Distillery was established in 1882 in east Belfast, on ground previously occupied by the Connswater Spinning Mill. It operated as a grain distillery, running two Coffey (column) stills with a reported annual output of around 850,000 gallons of whiskey. Around 1908 two pot stills were added, broadening production, and by that year the distillery had come under the United Distilleries Company (UDC) Ltd, a grouping that brought several Belfast whiskey interests together. Alongside firms such as Dunville & Co., Cromac and the Irish Distillery, Avoniel helped make Belfast a serious rival to Dublin as a centre of Irish whiskey production, with its output shipped in large volumes to Britain and markets overseas.
Like most of Belfast's once-thriving distilleries, Avoniel did not survive the crisis that struck Irish whiskey in the early twentieth century. The introduction of Prohibition in the United States in 1919 removed a major export market, and this coincided with wider trade difficulties for Irish whiskey producers, while larger Scotch whisky interests moved to acquire and shut down competing Irish operations. Avoniel ceased production in 1929. No trace of the original distillery buildings survives today; part of the site in east Belfast is now occupied by the Avoniel Leisure Centre. Original Avoniel whiskey bottlings are extremely rare and would be of considerable interest to collectors of historic Irish whiskey, though very little is known to circulate on the market. In recent years, Avoniel's historic grain mashbill has reportedly been used as the basis for a modern gin, Belfast 1912, produced as a tribute to the city's lost distilling heritage.
Avoniel distillery is located at Avoniel Road, East Belfast, Northern Ireland (site now partly occupied by the Avoniel Leisure Centre; no original distillery buildings survive).
Avoniel distillery was founded in 1882.
Avoniel distillery is owned by United Distilleries Company Ltd (from c. 1908; distillery closed 1929).
Avoniel distillery is from Belfast, ireland.
You can buy Avoniel whisky at Glenbotal.co.uk. We currently stock a selection with free UK delivery on orders over £99.
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About Glenbotal
The idea of Glenbotal came to us naturaly: as whisky lovers, we were always on the lookout for new experiences in the whisky world. That’s why we created Glenbotal and became our very own first customers. We buy unique and hard to find spirits from auctions, ballots, and private collections. Then, we share them with a small circle of friends and people who can appreciate a good dram.