I opted to invest in three separate stills for the rum, gin and vodka because I wanted to focus on the purity of each spirit. I did not want to try to produce all of them on one. This is also why we’ve chosen the ‘Purity of Spirit’ streamline. The three stills represent a very significant investment for a small business. I believe íon Distillery is unique in Ireland in having separate stills for each spirit we produce,” he explains. I decided the development of the business would benefit substantially by distilling Northern Ireland’s very first Cuban style rum. While I’ve introduced spirits I will still continue to brew and develop the Pokertree beer range.

The new spirits are the brainchild of Darren Nugent. Nugent owns and runs the successful Pokertree Craft Brewery in Tyrone. Pokertree Craft Brewery started in 2013. He launched the spirit distillery to help grow the overall business. This cookie is set by Rubicon Project to control synchronization of user identification and exchange of user data between various ad services.Rum is a delicious and hugely versatile spirit that has been enjoyed worldwide for centuries. Predominantly made from sugarcane or molasses, distilled by different techniques and aged to create a wide range of flavours and styles. The rum’s secret recipe was first developed in 1832 by Sebastian Stroh. Like Jägermeister, this “inlander rum” is sometimes perceived as a powerful manly elixir representing a wistful bygone era of old European spirit making. He’s invested in three copper pot stills and associated condensing columns in a new plant in the Tyrone village.

The Copeland Distillery introduced its rum range in November 2020 with Smugglers’ Reserve which shares the powerful story of clandestine smuggling activities that took place along the Copeland Islands and the harbour town of Donaghadee throughout the 18th and 19th centuries, while also honouring the contrabandists that bravely brought tastes of new worlds to these shores.He readily admits that creating the three spirits has been “a steep learning curve”. “Rum is a complicated spirit that I’ve been researching for several years. There are very specific rules and techniques involved in its production. We distil the rum from the finest molasses from Central America using a purpose-built ‘Doubler’ copper column still, unique in the British Isles. Finally their gins, using their own base spirit comes alive with the infusion of the finest botanicals sourced from around the world. Produced in a dedicated gin still, with subtle peppery notes and a dry citrus finish. The gin embodies their ethos perfectly – íon Distillery : Purity of Spirit The Copeland Distillery has recently partnered with leading drinks wholesaler Drinks Inc ., now part of the Musgrave Group, to distribute its products across Northern Ireland. Their rums are made with the finest Central American Molasses, using a purpose built Caribbean “Doubler-style” copper column still which is unique in Ireland/UK. They use authentic rum yeasts and age their spirit in bourbon barrels for a totally authentic, yet unique product.

In Europe, this product is known as Stroh 80, referring to the 80% alcohol by volume overproof rating. In the USA, the same rum is named Stroh 160 to underscore its 160 proof content. In simple terms, there is twice as much alcohol in this bottle than your average 80 proof rum, so a little bit goes a long way. Stroh 160 is used to flambé table-side dishes, but perhaps it’s most popular use is for home baking, like old-fashioned holiday fruit cake. Stroh 160 LegacyWe certainly have a good range of ales and stout which are popular especially in Northern Ireland and ROI. However, I saw an opportunity to grow the business faster by investing in distilling spirits. Claire McAlinney, Trading Manager at Musgrave said: “We’re delighted to add The Copeland Distillery to our portfolio as its unique range is a great match for what our on and off-trade customers want, namely premium spirits that will excite consumers. Gareth and the team at the Distillery are committed to quality and we’re always really impressed at the stories they uncover through their dedication to Northern Ireland’s maritime history. We’re excited to work with a local distillery with a real focus on innovation and quality – values also at the heart of Musgrave.” Our focus on authenticity is carried forward in our use of rum yeasts. Our first rum is a spirit aged in bourbon barrels and featuring Caribbean spices to produce a spiced rum that’s whiskey casked and has very distinctive flavours and taste. The Gin Still… Several types of rum are available, each with its unique flavour profiles and characteristics. Dark rum, for example, is aged for longer periods, resulting in a deep, rich flavour and aroma, while white rum is typically unaged and has a lighter, more delicate taste. Spiced rum is flavoured with spices like cinnamon and nutmeg, while flavoured rums are infused with fruit or other flavours. Records the default button state of the corresponding category & the status of CCPA. It works only in coordination with the primary cookie.