Midleton Distillery, one of the largest and most technically advanced distilleries in the world, has been in operation since 1975. Owned and operated by Pernod Ricard’s Irish Distilleries division, Midleton produces over 70 million litres of pure alcohol per year. The distillery is renowned for producing the Jameson range of whiskies, as well as other Pernod Ricard-owned Irish whiskey brands such as Powers, Paddy, Green Spot, and Redbreast.
We had the pleasure of interviewing Tommy Kean, Irish Distilleries Operations Director, regarding the future projects of Midleton Distillery, as well as its partnership with Frilli, our brand specialized in complete plants for the spirits industry.
What are the projects you are currently focusing on?
“My name is Tommy Keane, and I’m the Operations Director for Irish Distillers, an affiliate of Pernod Ricard. We’ve got two very big projects running at the moment. We’ve got a project to try to reduce carbon emissions from the existing distillery. The other one is we’ve got to build a new distillery adjacent to the existing one. This will double our capacity, and all the learnings we make in terms of sustainability and carbon reduction here we want to transfer to the new plant. Firstly, to try to achieve what we want to achieve, it’s technically very challenging, and in particular in terms of the condensers on the Pot Stills which now double as steam generators. There is a very specific requirement in the design and manufacture of these because our products, our distillates, are very flavoursome and successful. Changing the process, putting in these new condensers and steam generators, etc., we are really concerned about any impacts they would have on the quality and flavour of our spirits. We need to ensure we absolutely retain these qualities.”
Going back to the beginning of your relationship with Frilli: from which project did you start the collaboration? Why did you choose Frilli?
“So, we were looking for a partner that not just manufactured equipment but really understood the process. We invited a number of companies to discuss this. I was aware of Frilli, but I hadn’t actually worked with them in the past. What was really striking is that they absolutely understood the process and the impacts of pressure and temperature changes on the organoleptic properties of our distillates. This was the reassurance we needed from the outset. This was a huge investment for us and had never been done before. We needed process knowledge and expertise as well as manufacturing expertise.”
We know that sustainability is the driver for your growth and the heart of all the projects you have undertaken. Which other returns do you have? Is there a tangible economic return?
“Everything we do has sustainability at its core. In this instance, we are investing very significantly in our distillation processes here in Midleton. We have to ensure that the investment we’re making in capital equipment and processes will last for the next 20, 30 years or more. We’re making the best decisions for the long term: reducing our carbon footprint, reducing water usage on the plant, and providing a safe place to work, etc. We’ve got a new distillery to build and will take all the learnings from what we’re doing on the current plant to drive efficiencies in our processes and equipment. It’s an expensive plan to implement, but there is a return on investment if the right technologies are utilised.”