Cooley Peninsula
Northeast Ireland — home to Cooley Distillery, the first new Irish whiskey distillery in over 100 years when founded in 1987.
The Cooley Peninsula sits on the northeast coast of Ireland, between Carlingford and Dundalk. It is home to the Cooley Distillery, founded by John Teeling in 1987 as the first new independent Irish whiskey distillery in over a century. Cooley was acquired by Beam Suntory in 2012. The distillery produces double-distilled single malt (Tyrconnell, Connemara — Ireland's best-known peated whiskey), grain whisky, and a range of blends. The Cooley region also includes the Great Northern Distillery (founded by John Teeling after his Cooley sale, 2015) in Dundalk.
Quick facts
- Type
- Region
- Region
- Cooley Peninsula
- Origin
- County Louth, Ireland
The 1987 Revival
When John Teeling founded Cooley Distillery in 1987, the Irish whiskey industry had been reduced to two operating distilleries (Midleton and Bushmills) following decades of decline. Cooley deliberately broke from the dominant industry style by producing double-distilled (rather than triple-distilled) and peated whiskeys, including Connemara. The distillery's success helped catalyse the subsequent Irish whiskey revival of the 2000s and 2010s.
Sources & further reading (1)
- encyclopedia — accessed 2026-05-15
Frequently asked questions
Why is Connemara peated when most Irish whiskey is not?
Connemara was a deliberate stylistic choice by John Teeling to break from the dominant Irish industry mould of triple-distilled, unpeated whiskey. The peated style is closer to Scottish Islay traditions and reflects historic Irish peated whiskey production that had largely disappeared by the 20th century.