Denis Lynch, Distiller.
Dublin Whiskey Distillery, Jones Road: 1904-1924
Allman's Distillery, Bandon: 1924-1925
page last updated: 26 November 2019
Lynch's first profession was that of Distiller, apprenticed to the Dublin Whiskey Distillery, Jones Road, Drumcondra, Dublin between 1905-08 and subsequently employed as a distiller by the company. By 1914, Lynch had become both Chief Distiller and Manager of the Dublin Whiskey Distillery and secure enough to marry Alice Wyatt. They set up home in the Manager's Residence at Jones Road and for the next twenty years, as well as distilling Irish whiskey, were intimately involved with events and personalities of the revolutionary years 1914-1922 and the establishment of the Irish Free State.
The sprawling Dublin Whiskey Distillery complex and the Manager's Residence became a secure and safe haven for many underground Irish revolutionaries during the War of Independence from Michael Collins to Eamon de Valera as well as the location for one of the meetings of the banned parliament of the emerging Irish nation, Dail Eireann.
This is the brief story of two historic Irish distilleries and their last Chief Distiller/Manager.
The sprawling Dublin Whiskey Distillery complex and the Manager's Residence became a secure and safe haven for many underground Irish revolutionaries during the War of Independence from Michael Collins to Eamon de Valera as well as the location for one of the meetings of the banned parliament of the emerging Irish nation, Dail Eireann.
This is the brief story of two historic Irish distilleries and their last Chief Distiller/Manager.
The Dublin Whiskey Distillery Company (later known simply as D.W.D. Distillery or Jones Road Distillery) in Drumconda, was one of the last distilleries to be built in Dublin, quickly becoming one of what was known as the 'Big Four' Dublin distilleries. Unlike some of its other more famous cousins, such as the Jameson and Powers distilleries, D.W.D was not a family firm. Owned by a consortium of seven businessmen, construction began on 22 July 1872 under the supervision of founder John Brannick, and exactly one year later in 1873, D.W.D.'s first whiskey mash was produced.
This was the heyday of whiskey distilling in Ireland, with Irish Single Pot Still whiskey produced in Dublin accounting for 80% of the world markets and for a sale price far in excess of what was considered inferior Scotch. Official duty data show that between 1797 and 1840, Irish spirit consumption was continuously higher than Scotland and despite the difference in population, was also higher than consumption in both England and Wales for most of these years.
This was the heyday of whiskey distilling in Ireland, with Irish Single Pot Still whiskey produced in Dublin accounting for 80% of the world markets and for a sale price far in excess of what was considered inferior Scotch. Official duty data show that between 1797 and 1840, Irish spirit consumption was continuously higher than Scotland and despite the difference in population, was also higher than consumption in both England and Wales for most of these years.
Founder John Brannick was "for twenty-five years in the distillery of Sir John Power", and for twenty years after, was Chief Distiller for Messrs. George Roe & Son, before head-hunted for the position "to superintend the building of the Dublin Whiskey Distillery at Jones's-road". In 1870, Brannick "initiated the Dublin Whiskey Distillery Co.'s undertaking, securing the backing of a consortium of seven businessmen to establish the company and build the most modern and advanced distillery in Dublin City."
A seven acre site was chosen for the distillery, situated on a delta formed by the river Tolka on the south, Richmond road to the north and extended west as far as the Ballbough bridges. Access to the distillery from Jones Road was by bridge spanning the Tolka. Alfred Barnard in 1887 described D.W.D. as "The most modern of the distilleries in Dublin, it rears its head proud like a monument built to commemorate the virtues of some dead hero". Despite the river Tolka running through the complex and the construction of a 100-foot-deep well, water for distilling was sourced from the Royal canal through a mile-long pipe. Water from the Royal Canal was favoured as it was the same water source as used by the Jameson Distillery.
A seven acre site was chosen for the distillery, situated on a delta formed by the river Tolka on the south, Richmond road to the north and extended west as far as the Ballbough bridges. Access to the distillery from Jones Road was by bridge spanning the Tolka. Alfred Barnard in 1887 described D.W.D. as "The most modern of the distilleries in Dublin, it rears its head proud like a monument built to commemorate the virtues of some dead hero". Despite the river Tolka running through the complex and the construction of a 100-foot-deep well, water for distilling was sourced from the Royal canal through a mile-long pipe. Water from the Royal Canal was favoured as it was the same water source as used by the Jameson Distillery.
The Jones Road Distillery was a purpose built whiskey production unit with all of the mid-Victorian industrial processes. A 'handsome, striking building, 65ft high, originally of red brick now weathered to brown. It had an eye catching 135ft single chimney, deeply ribbed and with nine horizontal brick 'flanges' and a flared top.'
Townsend, 'The Lost Distilleries of Ireland'.
Jones Road produced spirit utilising the pot still batch distilling process. The Still House, which stood 60 feet high contained four pot stills on the ground floor around which plant machinery was configured across three gantry floors.
The whiskey produced was single pot still whiskey made from a mash of malted barley and corn distilled in D.W.D.'s pot stills. Although D.W.D. used the same water source as the Jameson distillery, D.W.D. whiskey differed by using corn in its mash while Jameson used green barley. In this regard D.W.D. adopted the same practice as the other great Dublin distillery, George Roe & Co, no doubt influenced by John Brannick's 20-year tenure in Roes.
Although it must be batch-distilled in a pot still (a device also used to make almost all single malts and many artisan American whiskeys), the Irish whiskey style is actually defined by the grain ingredients run through that still (a mixture of malt with a fine grist of green unmalted barley for texture and spice). Whiskey made in a pot still without the green barley is not, by this definition, Irish pot still whiskey. Originally introduced as a means of dodging the notorious Malt Tax, the use of raw barley has been a feature of Irish whiskey since the 18th century and although the less efficient green barley produced lower yields, the practice was so ingrained in the taste of many Irish whiskeys that the practice remained even after the tax was repealed in October 1880.
Distillation was "under Mr. Brannick's sole control from the time it was started" until he left to manage the Banagher Distillery Co. in 1887.
Townsend, 'The Lost Distilleries of Ireland'.
Jones Road produced spirit utilising the pot still batch distilling process. The Still House, which stood 60 feet high contained four pot stills on the ground floor around which plant machinery was configured across three gantry floors.
The whiskey produced was single pot still whiskey made from a mash of malted barley and corn distilled in D.W.D.'s pot stills. Although D.W.D. used the same water source as the Jameson distillery, D.W.D. whiskey differed by using corn in its mash while Jameson used green barley. In this regard D.W.D. adopted the same practice as the other great Dublin distillery, George Roe & Co, no doubt influenced by John Brannick's 20-year tenure in Roes.
Although it must be batch-distilled in a pot still (a device also used to make almost all single malts and many artisan American whiskeys), the Irish whiskey style is actually defined by the grain ingredients run through that still (a mixture of malt with a fine grist of green unmalted barley for texture and spice). Whiskey made in a pot still without the green barley is not, by this definition, Irish pot still whiskey. Originally introduced as a means of dodging the notorious Malt Tax, the use of raw barley has been a feature of Irish whiskey since the 18th century and although the less efficient green barley produced lower yields, the practice was so ingrained in the taste of many Irish whiskeys that the practice remained even after the tax was repealed in October 1880.
Distillation was "under Mr. Brannick's sole control from the time it was started" until he left to manage the Banagher Distillery Co. in 1887.
As secretary of Harper's Weekly Gazette, Alfred Barnard (1837-1918) visited every working whisky distillery in Great Britain and Ireland from 1885-1887. In all, he visited an incredible 162 distilleries; 129 in Scotland, 29 in Ireland and 4 in England. The result of which was the monumental 500 page "The Whisky Distilleries of the United Kingdom", covering in depth technical information on the distilleries, along with sketches and engravings.
Barnard was an obsessive Victorian when it came to detail, and his descriptions of distilleries leave no malt hopper unspecified and no low wines receiver unquantified, giving us an extraordinary-detailed account of Irish, Scottish & British distilling. Barnard also prefixed many distillery visits with lengthy and colourful preambles about his modes of transport, the scenery and history of the areas through which he passed – often exhibiting a pleasing sense of humour, and giving us an altogether more rounded account of his travels and discoveries than might otherwise be the case. Many of the entries are also accompanied by detailed engravings of the distilleries in question, providing a valuable visual resource to accompany the text. Curiously, however, he rarely mentions the characteristics of any of the whiskies being produced. |
Barnard was positively lyrical in his article, describing the Jones Road Distillery as "the most modern of the distilleries in Dublin", with mechanisms including the only example in Ireland of "a 50hp Leffel Turbine for electricity, driven either by a big wheel in the adjoining River Tolka or by one of the plant's steam engines". Movement of water was facilitated by a double acting plunger pump supplied by Pearn & Co of Manchester, UK which was acknowledged as the "finest specimen of hydraulic machinery in any Distillery in Dublin, being capable of raising 1000 gallons of water per minute".
The primary power source for the distillery was via a steam engine occupying an engine-house located in front of the Still Hall. This engine was manufactured and supplied by the iron founders and engineers, Messrs. Victor Coates & Co., of the Lagan Foundry and Price Dock Works, Belfast, and could generate 100 horse power. A secondary source of power was also incorporated into the distillery design in the form of a Leffel Turbine Wheel manufactured by the James Leffel Co New Haven USA which was positioned in the middle of the Tolka river which at full speed could produce up to 50 horsepower.
As other whiskey distilleries of the time had often been damaged or destroyed by fires, Jones Road "boasted two novel safety measures: curtains around the Mash Tun to stop the grist blowing over the edges and massive water tanks on top of the flat roofs, used to store process water, which could be used in case of fire". These water tanks included a number holding over 100,000 gallons of water and with the dual use for both the process or to extinguish fire. The cast iron columns supporting each floor were designed in event of fire, to be cooled by water to prevent collapse. Barnard did not spare his use of superlatives with the inspiring: "we were compelled to acknowledge that a master-mind and skilled hand had planned this great work'. There was even a top floor observatory with extensive views over the city and nearby coastline.
Barnard reported that Jones Road had the best of equipment; two mash tuns and underbacks, eight washbacks, four big pot stills, three spent wash tanks and a draff tank. While he did not note their capacities, records show that the complex had a maximum capacity of 800,000 gallons (3.6 million litres) of whiskey per annum, but with an actual output during 1885 of 560,000 gallons (2.6 million litres). However, it's doubtful that the Distillery ever operated at full capacity during it's first decade as the Irish whiskey industry was at this time experienced an ongoing period of decline. To put this single distillery output in perspective, the entire whiskey production for the island of Ireland in 1971, was 350,000 gallons or just under 1.6 million litres.
Barnard's review of the Jones Road Distillery rounded off with the statement: "the product made by D.W.D. is of the highest class of Dublin make"
During the seventeen years of Brannick's management, he became known as "one of the best known and most successful of the Irish distillers", and D.W.D. "became a well known and celebrated commodity in the whiskey market".
After leaving his position, to superintend the whiskey operation in Banagher, Co. Offaly, Brannick remained a shareholder in D.W.D.
The primary power source for the distillery was via a steam engine occupying an engine-house located in front of the Still Hall. This engine was manufactured and supplied by the iron founders and engineers, Messrs. Victor Coates & Co., of the Lagan Foundry and Price Dock Works, Belfast, and could generate 100 horse power. A secondary source of power was also incorporated into the distillery design in the form of a Leffel Turbine Wheel manufactured by the James Leffel Co New Haven USA which was positioned in the middle of the Tolka river which at full speed could produce up to 50 horsepower.
As other whiskey distilleries of the time had often been damaged or destroyed by fires, Jones Road "boasted two novel safety measures: curtains around the Mash Tun to stop the grist blowing over the edges and massive water tanks on top of the flat roofs, used to store process water, which could be used in case of fire". These water tanks included a number holding over 100,000 gallons of water and with the dual use for both the process or to extinguish fire. The cast iron columns supporting each floor were designed in event of fire, to be cooled by water to prevent collapse. Barnard did not spare his use of superlatives with the inspiring: "we were compelled to acknowledge that a master-mind and skilled hand had planned this great work'. There was even a top floor observatory with extensive views over the city and nearby coastline.
Barnard reported that Jones Road had the best of equipment; two mash tuns and underbacks, eight washbacks, four big pot stills, three spent wash tanks and a draff tank. While he did not note their capacities, records show that the complex had a maximum capacity of 800,000 gallons (3.6 million litres) of whiskey per annum, but with an actual output during 1885 of 560,000 gallons (2.6 million litres). However, it's doubtful that the Distillery ever operated at full capacity during it's first decade as the Irish whiskey industry was at this time experienced an ongoing period of decline. To put this single distillery output in perspective, the entire whiskey production for the island of Ireland in 1971, was 350,000 gallons or just under 1.6 million litres.
Barnard's review of the Jones Road Distillery rounded off with the statement: "the product made by D.W.D. is of the highest class of Dublin make"
During the seventeen years of Brannick's management, he became known as "one of the best known and most successful of the Irish distillers", and D.W.D. "became a well known and celebrated commodity in the whiskey market".
After leaving his position, to superintend the whiskey operation in Banagher, Co. Offaly, Brannick remained a shareholder in D.W.D.
Map of the complex and adjoining area showing the distillery layout from c. 1889
In 1891, D.W.D. merged with two other major distillers, combining the output of the Jones Road Distillery with the Marrowbone Lane Distillery of William Jameson & Co and the Thomas Street Distillery of George Roe & Co, to form Dublin Distillers Company Limited. Brian Townsend in his 1999 book 'The Lost Distilleries of Ireland' describes the merger as 'with the benefit of cruel hindsight, one would have to say Dublin Distillers were the British Leyland of distilling...all three companies had the same problems - excess capacity, no strong 'brand image' and declining markers - yet they did nothing decisive to tackle them.'
The amalgamated company had a combined distillation capacity of 3.5 million gallons per year. All used pot stills which were less economical to operate than Coffey stills which were increasingly used by the Scottish competition. Each member of the new Dublin Distillers Company produced it's own brand whiskey, sold it to it's own customers (often in direct competition with the other two partner distilleries), no attempts were made to streamline identical activities, marketing and eliminate excess capacity. As stocks inevitably rose with continued production and reduced sales, the company operated instead a rota with one or two of the distilleries halting production for an entire season while just one distilled. The end result was that the anticipated economies of scale from the merger were never realised and with such large, valuable (and flammable) stock inventory, the groups balance sheet and cash flow were to be negatively affected.
The amalgamated company had a combined distillation capacity of 3.5 million gallons per year. All used pot stills which were less economical to operate than Coffey stills which were increasingly used by the Scottish competition. Each member of the new Dublin Distillers Company produced it's own brand whiskey, sold it to it's own customers (often in direct competition with the other two partner distilleries), no attempts were made to streamline identical activities, marketing and eliminate excess capacity. As stocks inevitably rose with continued production and reduced sales, the company operated instead a rota with one or two of the distilleries halting production for an entire season while just one distilled. The end result was that the anticipated economies of scale from the merger were never realised and with such large, valuable (and flammable) stock inventory, the groups balance sheet and cash flow were to be negatively affected.
In 1904, 12.5 million gallons of Irish whiskey were produced and two-thirds were exported but "It seems probable that a greater share of these Irish exports merely entered Scotch blends," according to Andy Bielenberg of University College Cork – while a number of Irish pot still distilleries produced a high-quality product. UK data show that total production of whisky in Scotland for the 12 months ended March 31, 1905, was 25.2 million gallons and exports were about 7 million.
Denis Lynch joined the Dublin Whiskey Distillery at Jones Road in March 1905.
His daughter, Brid fills us in on some of the history: “...I have a copy of Denis’s Indenture contract with DWD dated March 1st, 1905 ...It’s full of legal rigmarole but in essence Margaret Lynch, his mother paid a fee to DWD. Denis was to serve a three year apprenticeship and was to receive a small allowance and accommodation which was provided on site. The Manager at the time was Leonard Murphy....'
From around 1907, Irish Whiskey distillers banded together to oppose the mass production of cheap blended whiskey. Initially they were successful as there was a number of court cases in which the producers of blended Scotch were successfully prosecuted for fraud, for advertising real malt whiskies blended with cheap grain alcohol. However these makers of blended whiskey were able to lobby for an Act of parliament to define whiskey.
In 1909, after arguing for two years, the parliamentary commission opted for a compromise that permitted grain alcohol to be sold as Whiskey provided that it had been flavoured with some whiskey matured in a barrel for at least three years. This was to prove to be the tipping point that triggered the gradual decline of Irish Whiskey as the world’s dominant spirit drink.
In 1909, after arguing for two years, the parliamentary commission opted for a compromise that permitted grain alcohol to be sold as Whiskey provided that it had been flavoured with some whiskey matured in a barrel for at least three years. This was to prove to be the tipping point that triggered the gradual decline of Irish Whiskey as the world’s dominant spirit drink.
Monday, 3 April 1911 was Census night in Ireland and Britain. The Census records show that Lynch, then 25 and single, was resident in the DWD complex at 1A Richmond Road. Nearby in another property was the Distillery manager, Leonard Murphy, also single. Both properties had one live-in domestic servant. Resident at 1A was Annie Jones, a 40 year old widow from Cork who was literate. The property details for the area provide some more information on the facilities - see below.
The 1911 Census Enumerator lists the following as operational buildings on the DWD site: the Fermenting House, Still House, Brew House, Mill, five Bond Stores, two Excise Offices, two corn stores, Clerks Office and the Manager's Office.
By the time that Denis married in July 1914, he was the Chief Distiller & Manager of the DWD coomplex and both he and his wife Alice moved into the managers house on site.
With the outbreak of the World War in August 1914, distilling operations began to slow even further as restrictions were put in place on the volume of barley allowed for distilling - most of the crop was diverted to foodstuffs and animal feeds and was subject to rationing from 1915. Coal for distilling use was also quickly placed under government control. While there were substantial Bond stocks on hand, little could be sold overseas due to the restriction on transport ships and the aggressive U-Boat blockade. The Irish and British home market was limited and even more so from May 1915. The British Minister for Munitions, David Lloyd George identified alcohol consumption as a substantial hindrance to the war effort and waged his own war on the entire liquor industry. The Liquor Control Board of 1915 successfully curbed public drinking, public house opening hours and liquor sales and led to an even greater downturn in whiskey consumption. However, all was to change and change utterly... |
When the Rising broke out on Easter Monday, George Roe’s, William Jameson’s and John Jameson’s distilleries were quickly occupied by the Rebels. These distillery buildings were strategic positions to intercept or stop British reinforcements coming into the city from Kilmainham and the Volunteers used the large distillery chimneys as makeshift sniper nests. The Jones Road Distillery was not occupied but the other distilleries saw little fighting with the exception of Bow Street where there was intense action throughout the week.
No looting of whiskey took place in any of the occupied distilleries. In fact, the Volunteers did not touch the whiskey in storage, mainly from a sense of purpose and integrity and there was no drunkenness. A few small bottles, nicknamed ‘hand grenades’ were however sent up the barricades, to give some comfort. The only thing that the Volunteers did seem to indulge themselves in at Bow Street were the Directors champagne and his cigars. All distilling operations were suspended throughout Dublin for the duration of the Rising, but workers received a full weeks wage nonetheless.
In the wake of the Rising the Irish whiskey industry began to show signs strong evidence of fatigue as the industry started to decline. Scottish blenders had marketed their product as one of consistency and national identity. There were so many varieties of Irish whiskey and so many variations in the market that nobody really knew what Irish whiskey was even supposed to taste like. Consistent brands like Johnnie Walker offered that Scottish promise of being the same, no matter where it was being served.
No looting of whiskey took place in any of the occupied distilleries. In fact, the Volunteers did not touch the whiskey in storage, mainly from a sense of purpose and integrity and there was no drunkenness. A few small bottles, nicknamed ‘hand grenades’ were however sent up the barricades, to give some comfort. The only thing that the Volunteers did seem to indulge themselves in at Bow Street were the Directors champagne and his cigars. All distilling operations were suspended throughout Dublin for the duration of the Rising, but workers received a full weeks wage nonetheless.
In the wake of the Rising the Irish whiskey industry began to show signs strong evidence of fatigue as the industry started to decline. Scottish blenders had marketed their product as one of consistency and national identity. There were so many varieties of Irish whiskey and so many variations in the market that nobody really knew what Irish whiskey was even supposed to taste like. Consistent brands like Johnnie Walker offered that Scottish promise of being the same, no matter where it was being served.
By 1919, the Irish whiskey distillers had lost their largest market, the United States. During 1917, a resolution was introduced to the US Congress calling for a Constitutional amendment to accomplish nationwide Prohibition. This was was passed by both houses in December 1917 to become the Eighteen Amendment to the Constitution.
Within a year, in November 1918, prior to ratification of the Amendment, Congress passed the temporary Wartime Prohibition Act, banning the sale of alcoholic beverages having an alcohol content of greater than 1.28%. The Wartime Prohibition Act took effect June 30, 1919, with July 1, 1919 becoming known as the "Thirsty-First". By January, 1919, the Amendment had been ratified by 36 of the 48 states, making it law. By October 1919, Congress passed enabling legislation, known as the Volstead Act, to enforce the Eighteenth Amendment when it went into effect in January 1920.
Denis Lynch, the chief distiller and manager of the DWD complex and his Australian born wife, Alice, were privately (and illegally) providing safe haven and refuge for the leaders of the proscribed Irish revolutionary government, including 'The Most Wanted Man in the British Empire":
"In 1919-20, Denis and Alice Lynch were frequently discreet hosts of the fugitive Collins at Distillery House, their home in the grounds of the Dublin Whiskey Distillery in Drumcondra where Denis was manager. One evening, Denis was entertaining business guests and left the table to check on his other, hidden guest. 'What are ye talking about tonight Denis? asked the restless Collins. 'Yourself as always Mick' came the reply."
Eileen McGough. Diarmuid Lynch - A Forgotten Irish Patriot. Mercier History. Cork 2013. p84
In early February 1919, Eamon de Valera who had been jailed by the British Authorities in Lincoln Prison was broken out of jail by a team led by Michael Collins and secretly returned to Ireland.
"Having shipped De Valera safely across the Irish Sea, Collins lodged him in Denis Lynch's home in Drumcondra, the trusted house where he himself often went to ground. Strolling in the grounds of the distillery, de Valera and Harry Boland laid plans for Boland's forthcoming mission to America to prepare for de Valera's own arrival there....."
Eileen McGough. Diarmuid Lynch - A Forgotten Irish Patriot. Mercier History. Cork 2013. p117
Denis & Alice also provided the venue for the 3rd meeting of the banned & hunted members of the First Dail Eireann in April, 1919.
The Irish whiskey industry experienced further substantial difficulties throughout the 1920s. Both William Jameson & Co and George Roe & Co would eventually close in 1923 with their respective production transferred to the D.W.D. distillery.
Denis remained as Chief Distiller at DWD until 1924 when he moved to Bandon, Co. Cork as Manager of Allman’s Distillery in the town.
Allman's Distillery in Bandon was one of the most successful and dynamic distilleries in 19th century Ireland, eventually becoming the largest rural distillery on the island with an annual output of 500,000 gallons of whiskey from West Cork. Allman's even managed to establish a strong market for it's whiskey in Scotland and at one stage, the exclusive whiskey served in the British Parliament no doubt assisted by the fact one of the partners was an MP for Bandon.
In 1826, James C. Allman established a distillery in a converted 18th Century mill on the family manor estate in Bandon, Co. Cork, following the failure of the family's cotton manufacturing business. The establishment of the distillery coincided with the earlier Excise reforms which largely kickstarted Irish whiskey production.
There is no record of any previous distillery operating in Bandon, nor is there any record of Allman having prior experience in distilling himself. A report at the time, showed that production between October 1826 and October 1827 totalled some 63,023 gallons. Thereafter, the distillery grew in capacity over time as profits from the initial years of operating were reinvested in the business, reaching a capacity of 200,000 per annum by 1836, and by the mid-1800s the distillery had become the largest rural distillery in Ireland, with a capacity in excess of 500,000 gallons (2.27m litres) per annum and was made up of 5 pot stills (2 x 16,000 gallon wash stills; 3 x spirit stills, 2 x 4,000 gallon, 1 x 12,000 gallon).
"Allman apears to have been a dynamic hard working, visionary distiller and businessman, who ploughed nearly all the profits of the formative years back into the business, expanding capacity and building up a strong reputation for the whiskey'
Townsend, Brian (1999). The Lost Distilleries of Ireland. Glasgow: Angels' Share (Neil Wilson Publishing).
The Bandon Diistillery survived the rise of Father Mathews Cork Total Abstinence Society, the Famine, and stiff competition from its enormous Dublin and Belfast competitors to become one of the most celebrated Irish producers of the age. By 1846, Richard Allman had succeeded to his father's business, and by 1881 it was owned by Richard and his brother James C. Allman (junior), in a partnership trading as "Allman and Company".
There is no record of any previous distillery operating in Bandon, nor is there any record of Allman having prior experience in distilling himself. A report at the time, showed that production between October 1826 and October 1827 totalled some 63,023 gallons. Thereafter, the distillery grew in capacity over time as profits from the initial years of operating were reinvested in the business, reaching a capacity of 200,000 per annum by 1836, and by the mid-1800s the distillery had become the largest rural distillery in Ireland, with a capacity in excess of 500,000 gallons (2.27m litres) per annum and was made up of 5 pot stills (2 x 16,000 gallon wash stills; 3 x spirit stills, 2 x 4,000 gallon, 1 x 12,000 gallon).
"Allman apears to have been a dynamic hard working, visionary distiller and businessman, who ploughed nearly all the profits of the formative years back into the business, expanding capacity and building up a strong reputation for the whiskey'
Townsend, Brian (1999). The Lost Distilleries of Ireland. Glasgow: Angels' Share (Neil Wilson Publishing).
The Bandon Diistillery survived the rise of Father Mathews Cork Total Abstinence Society, the Famine, and stiff competition from its enormous Dublin and Belfast competitors to become one of the most celebrated Irish producers of the age. By 1846, Richard Allman had succeeded to his father's business, and by 1881 it was owned by Richard and his brother James C. Allman (junior), in a partnership trading as "Allman and Company".
Allman's Distillery, Bandon. c. 1840 superimposed over a 2017 aerial view. Courtesy of Ordnance Survey Ireland. Between 1829 and 1842 Ordnance Survey Ireland completed the first ever large-scale survey of an entire country. Acclaimed for their accuracy, these maps are regarded by cartographers as amongst the finest ever produced. These maps are particularly relevant for genealogy or those with an interest in social history. This presentation of the Historic Map 6 inch (1837-1842) is in colour.
When Alfred Barnard, visited Allmans on his tour of Irish distilleries in 1886, it had become a significant enterprise, with an internal village of around 200 employees including coopers, carpenters, coppersmiths, maltmen, and of course, the master distiller C. McPherson. The malting facility was second only to Guinness as the largest malting floor in the United Kingdom and aside from its own barrels, the distillery also imported specially sherry-seasoned casks from Cadiz.
The Still House was the oldest part of the Distillery and had 5 pot stills – 2 Wash and 3 Spirit Stills, indicating that Allman’s were triple distilling. Allman’s had 15 warehouses in total which contained 9,000 casks at the time of Barnard’s visit. Boasting its own private railway line connecting to the West Cork railway network, Allmans' was described by Barnard as "the most dominant landmark in rural Co. Cork". Allman's whiskey was of "superior quality", and although it enjoyed a large trade in Ireland, was chiefly exported to "England, Scotland and the Colonies". At the time, the firm produced both traditional Irish single pot still whiskey and pure malt whiskey.
The Still House was the oldest part of the Distillery and had 5 pot stills – 2 Wash and 3 Spirit Stills, indicating that Allman’s were triple distilling. Allman’s had 15 warehouses in total which contained 9,000 casks at the time of Barnard’s visit. Boasting its own private railway line connecting to the West Cork railway network, Allmans' was described by Barnard as "the most dominant landmark in rural Co. Cork". Allman's whiskey was of "superior quality", and although it enjoyed a large trade in Ireland, was chiefly exported to "England, Scotland and the Colonies". At the time, the firm produced both traditional Irish single pot still whiskey and pure malt whiskey.
Barley for the distillery came mostly from local farms and Barnard wrote that on the say of his visit, he counted more than 70 farm carts waiting to deliver grain. The driver's were all farmer's son's kitted out in their Sunday best. The Allmans were an important customer, so when delivering your produce, you sought to look smart. The courtyards and roadway resembled a fair, so animated was the scene...from October to Christmas an average of 1,500 barrels of barley were delivered daily, with the counting house paying out a princely sum of £800 a day in cash to the farmers.
Barnard also marvelled at the massive grain lofts, covering six floors and with a capacity of 50,000 barrels, and the highly advanced system for receiving grain. Carts advanced to the receiving corn hopper, where the grain was sampled by a clerk, then rapidly unloaded, weighed and filtered through a mesh griddle to remove straws and other debris. It was carried by an endless chain and steel bucket conveyor/elevator system that for half a mile through the buildings and was directed by the clerk via a rooftop semaphore that channelled the grain to the right floor and area:
"....Some of the Grain Lofts are of six floors, and at the time contained 50,000 barrels of grain, but this does not at all represent the requirements of the season. The mode of receiving the corn into these huge Granaries is unlike any we have seen in our travels. The loaded carts wait their turn in passing through a covered way to the Receiving Corn Hopper, which, in shape, is not unlike a pulpit, at an enclosed corner of which presides the corn sampling clerk, who duly tests the grain, which is tumbled form the sacks into this receptacle, where, through an opening at the lowest part, it falls into a metal scale below, which holds about a barrel of grain; here stands another clerk, who, without touching the scale, by the movement of a balance handle, registers the weight and tips the corn into a hopper below, across the bottom of which is stretched an iron riddle or grill to catch the straws or husks before the corn falls into the elevators...The Still House...with its outer walls covered with lichens, moss, and ferns, is the oldest part of the works, and contains five Old Pot Stills - two Wash and three Spirit - heated with open furnaces. Their contents are severally two of 16,000, one of 12,000, and two of 4,000 gallons.“
Unusually, this was a time when Irish whiskey was outselling Scotch by three cases to one, Allmans whiskey even earned a popular following in Scotland and would have been a key brand there during the 1860s when, according to Scottish whisky historian Charles MacLean, imported Irish whiskeys like Allmans were actually outselling their Caledonian cousins in Edinburgh itself.
In 1878, a fire broke out in the mill room of the distillery, destroying the mill, malthouse and 400 barrels of grain. The nearby bonded warehouses were saved by cutting down a timber bridge which connected them to the burning building. The damage, estimated to have amounted to £6,000, was covered by insurance. The fire cost the life of one employee, a local man named Richard White, not connected with the establishment, who fell from a height while trying to extinguish the flames.
In the late 19th and early 20th century, while many Scottish distillers were introducing Coffey stills, which were cheaper to run than the traditional pot stills, a debate raged amongst Irish distillers as whether to follow suit. Many Irish distillers, whether rightly or wrongly, considered coffey stills produced an inferior spirit.
Allman's capacity c.1900 was about 500,000 gallons (2.27 million litres) and was made up of 5 pot stills (2 x 16,000 gallon wash stills; 3 x spirit stills, 2 x 4,000 gallon, 1 x 12,000 gallon)
The debate over the use of Pot Stills versus Coffey Stills came to a head in 1904 for Allmans. In that year, James C. Allman, the at times irrascible 82-year-old company chairman banned the introduction of Coffey stills at the Bandon Distillery, bringing him into direct conflict with company director JJ McDaniel, his nephew and an innovator who advocated the introduction of Coffey stills. This dragged on for a number of years unresolved until 1910, when the 88 year old Allman went to the High Court in ahighly controversial move to request that the company be wound down. However, as fate would have it, he died before the company could be closed, and instead the shares passing to his three nephews, with J. J. McDaniel becoming the controlling shareholder.
The World War intervened and as the whiskey market effectively collapsed, the stills remained unchanged.
In 1924, the new Chief Distiller and Manager, Denis Lynch was interviewed by the Southern Star newspaper in the 2 September edition, and was quoted "that he had been close to twenty years in Dublin where he was instructed in his business.'
Freddie O’Dwyer’s 2015 research shows that Denis “... was appointed distiller to Allman's in Bandon in September 1924 but seems to have exercised his profession for just one year [as the distillery ceased production]. I expect he came to some arrangement to stay on in the distiller's house for the following fifteen years or so. Allman, Dowden and Company had two operations in Bandon, a brewery, much of which survives, on the north side of the river and a distillery, a mile away on the south side, which is largely demolished....The unraveling of the Allman businesses was Byzantine but it seems they were in trouble from the early 1900s. The brewery was sold to Beamishes in 1907 who kept it open as a mineral water bottling plant. "
The Bandon distillery was hit by the same twentieth century factors of war, prohibition, and competition from cheaper more rapidly produced blended whiskeys that decimated the Irish old Pot Still classics and almost resulted in the extinction of the style.
In 1925 Bandon was forced to close, missing its own centenary by just a few months but continued sales of Bandon whiskey using stock from bond. Trading as Allman, Dowden and Co., its agents continued selling off stocks until 1939.
In 2016, a rare example of Allman's whiskey dating from 1916 was sold by Adams of Dublin at auction for €6,600. Distilled in 1916 by the Bandon distillery in West Cork and bottled by the (long vanished) Nuns Island Distillery in Galway, the bottle may be the oldest unopened expression of Irish single pot still whiskey sold in modern times. Originally owned by a Captain R.E. Palmer and bottled by the Galway Persse family who once supplied their whiskeys to the House of Commons. |
The Allman premises in Bandon were sold in 1927 but were still standing when viewed by a government minister in 1929, who was (unsuccessfully) lobbied to take it over as a creamery depot. The Minister pointed out that the creameries were run by co-operatives that the government had no wish to undermine.
With the closure of Allmans in Bandon, Denis changed profession and he became the Cork representative and inspector of the New Ireland Assurance Company which had been founded by M.W. O'Reilly, a former volunteer and leader of the prisoners at Frongoch in 1916.
Parts of the Distillery were used as a mill, then most of the buildings were demolished during World War II. The railway line was uplifted in 1942. Today there are still some large buildings remaining on the site, most notably two of the original 6 storey grain stores. Where the warehouses once stood is now the local cattle mart, but the distillery offices remain. They were initially used as a school, and in 1960, converted into a pub by Denis Murphy. The pub remains, aptly named The Old Still Bar and is now owned by Louis Murphy. It still has one of the few known surviving bottles of Allman’s Whiskey.
The local heritage centre in Bandon, located in Friars Church on North Main Street, also has a small exhibit about the distillery, including many of the instruments that were used by the last Master Distiller.
Dublin Whiskey Distillers 1930 - 2019
Despite the long-term commercial opportunities which these holdings presented, D.W.D. management instead made the decision to voluntarily liquidate D.W.D., and sold off all the distillery's assets for significant financial gain during the war years.
The voluntary closure and break up of D.W.D. was directly enabled by the Irish Government, which issued D.W.D. with the only export licence granted to any Irish distillery during the Second World War. Export licences had been imposed by the Irish State on the Irish whiskey industry under the Emergency Powers (Export of Whiskey) Order, 1941. Apart from D.W.D., no export licences were ever issued and as a consequence the Irish government shut down large-scale Irish whiskey distillery production for the duration of the war. Why an exception was made for D.W.D. contrary to government policy of the day remains unexplained. Without the export licence, however, D.W.D. could not have been dismantled. D.W.D.'s size and scale was comparable to peers including Jameson and Powers, which would have ensured its continuation.
The voluntary closure and break up of D.W.D. was directly enabled by the Irish Government, which issued D.W.D. with the only export licence granted to any Irish distillery during the Second World War. Export licences had been imposed by the Irish State on the Irish whiskey industry under the Emergency Powers (Export of Whiskey) Order, 1941. Apart from D.W.D., no export licences were ever issued and as a consequence the Irish government shut down large-scale Irish whiskey distillery production for the duration of the war. Why an exception was made for D.W.D. contrary to government policy of the day remains unexplained. Without the export licence, however, D.W.D. could not have been dismantled. D.W.D.'s size and scale was comparable to peers including Jameson and Powers, which would have ensured its continuation.
The distillery's tall chimney was eventually removed, and other parts came to be used for various businesses, "such as engineering workshops and even a fitness centre during the 1990s", with a 2003 conversion turning some of the buildings into upmarket apartments, now known as Distillery Lofts.
A 2012 Assessment of Special Interest Under the Planning & Development Act 2000 found the former distillery structure to be of architectural and historical significance, noting that "the quality of the materials used in their construction and decorative detailing demonstrate that these buildings were cutting edge design for the specific requirements of distillery buildings", and that they remained "a significant reminder of the industrial landscape that once made up a significant element of the nineteenth century landscape adjacent to the Tolka River".
In 2018, Irish whiskey exports were valued at €654m, according to the CSO (Central Statistics Office) while the export value of Scotch whisky was a record £4.7bn.
Thanks to:
Brid Duggan, Freddie Dwyer, Dublin Whiskey Distillery Co, Wikipedia, Adams, Matt Healy of www.potsilled.com, Three Castle Investments Ltd, Peter Mulryan & Michael Hennigan.
Sources:
Townsend, Brian (1999). The Lost Distilleries of Ireland. Glasgow: Angels' Share (Neil Wilson Publishing).
Brid Duggan, Freddie Dwyer, Dublin Whiskey Distillery Co, Wikipedia, Adams, Matt Healy of www.potsilled.com, Three Castle Investments Ltd, Peter Mulryan & Michael Hennigan.
Sources:
Townsend, Brian (1999). The Lost Distilleries of Ireland. Glasgow: Angels' Share (Neil Wilson Publishing).