THE MOST IRISH OF IRISH WHISKEYS
A wave crashing to shore over rocks.
FROM CRAGGY COASTLINES AND IMPENETRABLE SQUALLS, TO BLANKET BOGS UNDER AZURE SKIES, THE WILD LANDS OF CONNEMARA ARE WHERE TORRID STORMS MEET UNSPOILED BEAUTY
IT IS HERE WE WILL CREATE A SPIRIT AS FEARLESS AS ITS PEOPLE, AND AS DISTINCTIVE AS ITS CHISELED SHORES
BUILT ON THE STORIES OF AN OLDER IRELAND, IN AN IRISH SPEAKING STRONGHOLD OF ‘AN GHAELTACHT’

Proudly representing a salt-of-the-earth community who uphold the traditions of their people and place. Creating spirits founded on old styles of rural distilling and traditional ways of malting barley. From a distillery nestled in the beautiful setting of Carna Bay, a backdrop which will influence the taste, flavour and character of our whiskeys. Connemara is the very DNA of this whiskey.

A view of rolling hills in Connemara.
CNOC BUÍ IRISH WHISKEY, SHAPED BY THE YELLOW HILLS OF CONNEMARA

Cnoc Buí (Yellow Hill), is named after the yellow lichen-covered boulders and gorse fields that cover the landscape in this area of Connemara.

This most beautiful and fascinating of locations is covered in these shades of yellow, brown and hints of gold for nearly eight months of the year. It is a scene that is simply synonymous with the peatlands of Connemara – where saffron-hued hills roll from the Twelve Bens Mountains down to the Atlantic Ocean.

There was no other name that could as proudly represent the landscape where we will make our whiskey.

OUR DISTILLERY
CARNA HAS ALWAYS BEEN WAY OUT WEST, A SPECIAL PLACE WHERE THE WIND SINGS THE SONGS OF JOE HEANEY AND THE MOUNTAINS LIE LIKE SLEEPING GODS.
‘CARNA’ BY GERRY MCLOUGHLIN
Dark clouds over the sea with the sun breaking through.
THE LANDSCAPE AND TERROIR OF THE WEST OF IRELAND WILL BE A KEY INGREDIENT IN CNOC BUÍ IRISH WHISKEY

From the influence of barrels aged by the sea, and our unique use of barley and peat, to the people of ‘An Ghaeltacht’ who will craft this most Irish of Irish whiskeys. The inherently tough pace of life that is synonymous with Connemara is part of what will forge the character of our whiskeys, rooted in a spirit of defiance and unbroken tradition.

Our water will be drawn from Loch an Iarann (Lough Ierin), located in the hills overlooking Carna Bay. For centuries, Loch an Iarann has been known for the quality of its water, a place where seafarers took on fresh water before making the long journey across the Atlantic Ocean. This same water source will add to the character of each and every drop of whiskey released from our distillery.

A small ruined and roofless stone house by a wild shore.
53.3211930
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THIS WHISKEY TELLS THE STORY OF A FAMILY ANCHORED IN HISTORICAL ILLICIT DISTILLING
THE CONNOLLY FAMILY HAVE BEEN DISTILLING POITÍN, A TRADITIONAL LIQUOR NATIVE TO THE WEST OF IRELAND, FOR MANY GENERATIONS.
THIS WHISKEY TELLS THE STORY OF A FAMILY ANCHORED IN HISTORICAL ILLICIT DISTILLING
THE CONNOLLY FAMILY HAVE BEEN DISTILLING POITÍN, A TRADITIONAL LIQUOR NATIVE TO THE WEST OF IRELAND, FOR MANY GENERATIONS.
PADRAIC CONNOLLY
PADRAIC PHEAITS ANNA
1875 — 1966

A farmer and fisherman, Padraic Pheits Anna lived in Tír an Fhia, a small village on Gorumna Island on the Connemara Coast.

PADRAIC WAS A HIGHLY REGARDED POITÍN DISTILLER, A NECESSARY SUBSISTENCE TO SUPPORT THE RAISING OF HIS GROWING FAMILY.

Padraic’s main trade routes were along the north shores of Galway Bay from Na nOilean (The Islands) to the villages scattered along the shores of Galway City.

SAILING UNDER COVER OF DARKNESS, HE TRADED WITH FARMERS ON THE DAYS AFTER THE LOCAL FAIRS, WHEN HE KNEW THEY WERE FLUSH WITH MONEY AND A THIRST FOR A DROP OF HIS PEATED POITÍN.

A quiet man, he lived his entire life in Tír an Fhia, distilling Poitín well into his later years.

MICIL CONNOLLY
MICIL PHADRAIC MHICHEÁLÍN
1889 — 1984

From the coastal village of Trá Bháin on Gorumna Island, Micil Phadraic Mhicheálín was a renowned illicit Poitín distiller and character.

MICIL WOULD ROW HIS CURRACH BOAT ACROSS THE OFTEN TREACHEROUS WATERS OF GALWAY BAY TO SELL HIS POITÍN CASKS TO DISTRIBUTORS ON THE ARAN ISLANDS AND VILLAGES DOTTED ACROSS NORTHWEST COUNTY CLARE.

Caught in the act of distilling by ‘Peelers’ sent from Galway, he was imprisoned on three separate occasions in the County Jail, now the site of the Galway Cathedral.

KNOWN ACROSS CONNEMARA FOR THE QUALITY OF HIS PRODUCE, HE HAD A REPUTATION FOR THE STRENGTH AND FLAVOUR OF HIS PRIZED POITÍN BATCHES.

Like Padraic, Micil lived a long life in his beautiful surroundings of South Connemara.

A photo of Joe Connolly beside a barrel with a nosing glass of whiskey in his hand.
‘Maireann an chraobh ar an bhfál, ach ní maireann an lámh a chur’
THE STONE ON THE WALL OUTLIVES THE HAND THAT LAID IT
THE NEXT GENERATION OF SPIRIT MAKERS

JOE CONNOLLY | FOUNDER

A native Irish speaker and former Hurling All Ireland winning captain with Galway, Joe is a true custodian of the unique traditions of Connemara.

JOE STANDS AS THE LINK BETWEEN THE CONNOLLY’S ILLICIT DISTILLING HERITAGE AND THE GENERATIONS OF DISTILLERS TO COME.

The story of our distilling heritage, combined with the rugged character of Carna as a location, will allow Cnoc Buí Distillery to create Irish whiskeys that will be appreciated by whiskey connoisseurs the world over.

A photo of Barry Connolly beside a barrel inspecting a sample of whiskey.
THE NEXT GENERATION OF SPIRIT MAKERS

BARRY CONNOLLY | FOUNDER

Barry represents the next generation of distillers in the Connolly family, who will proudly produce the finest quality of craft spirits.

By becoming fifth generation distillers we will join a select few families who have achieved this accolade.

WE WILL BREATHE THIS LEGACY INTO MODERN DAY IRELAND BY BUILDING A WORLD-CLASS IRISH WHISKEY DISTILLERY AND VISITOR EXPERIENCE IN CARNA, COUNTY GALWAY.