Ballykeefe Distillery — County Kilkenny Single Malt Whisky

Ballykeefe Distillery is an Irish whiskey distillery located near Cuffesgrange, County Kilkenny, Ireland. It was founded in 2017 and is currently owned and operated by the Ging family, who have farmed the surrounding land for generations. Built on the family's working farm, Ballykeefe is one of a wave of independent, farm-based Irish distilleries that emerged in the 2010s to revive small-scale whiskey production alongside traditional agriculture.

History

Ballykeefe Distillery was established in 2017 by Morgan Ging, a member of the Ging family, who spent some 25 years researching and planning the project before construction began. The Ging family's farming roots in the Cuffesgrange area, close to Kilkenny city, stretch back as far as written records allow, and the distillery was conceived as a natural diversification of that long-standing agricultural enterprise rather than a purely commercial venture. Morgan Ging designed the distillery with an emphasis on sustainability and environmental protection alongside quality of production, and the site was recognised as the third most sustainable factory at the 2018 Food and Drink Business Awards. Since opening, Ballykeefe has produced whiskey, vodka, gin and poitín, and its vodka won Best Irish Vodka at the Irish Whiskey Awards in 2018. The distillery operates a visitor centre offering guided tours of the brewing and distilling process, concluding with a tasting on site, and it maintains close ties to the local community, including support for area GAA and camogie clubs.

Quick Facts

• Region: County Kilkenny
• Founded: 2017
• Owner: Ging family (independent, family-owned)
• Status: Active

Core Range

Ballykeefe's whiskey range centres on two core expressions: Ballykeefe Single Malt Irish Whiskey, released as both a cask-strength bottling and a 46% ABV expression with notes of toasted oak, apple and vanilla, and Ballykeefe Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey. The distillery also produces Ballykeefe Vodka, Ballykeefe Poitín, and a range of gins including its Extra Dry Irish Gin, Lady Desart Gin and a Sloe Gin, alongside occasional limited-edition releases.