Sustainability, Global Expansion, and Tourism – How Boatyard Distillery Aims to Put Fermanagh on the Map

Having seen more than my fair share of distilleries over the years, both old and new, I have to say that what I’ve been seeing over in Ireland lately I’ve found very impressive.

Having recently returned from a business trip to our friends in Ireland, I was fortunate enough to visit a number of distilleries, all of whom produce truly exceptional spirits. One of many distilleries that really stood out for me was Joe McGirr’s Boatyard Distillery, a stone’s throw from Enniskillen, in the heart of gorgeous Fermanagh.

Despite dealing primarily with single malt Scotch here at Great Drams, we’re always eager to hear about how distilleries are expanding, regardless of what they produce. Boatyard Distillery for example, are renowned for producing truly exceptional gin, and after a recent meeting at the distillery, I was impressed to learn more, not only about Boatyard’s expansion and visions for the future, but also, for their dedication to sustainability too. As you know, we’re big on sustainability ourselves here at Great Drams, so that’s certainly something that grabbed my attention.

Honouring its Roots

Right from the get-go, the Boatyard Distillery is already something pretty special, in that it’s Fermanagh’s first legal distillery since the year 1890. It gets its name from the site where it sits, as it is located upon a now disused boat yard.

At the helm is local man Joe McGirr, who established the distillery less than a decade ago, back in 2016. Despite the distillery still being very much in its infancy, what Joe and the team over at Boatyard have been able to do in such a short period of time is nothing short of exceptional.

During a recent press event at the distillery, Joe spoke passionately, about how the distillery’s roots extend deep into the heart of Fermanagh. In the past, the county’s primary source of income was the dairy farm industry. In recent years, that industry has struggled and as a result the county itself is at risk. Tourism is more important for the area than ever before, and Boatyard Distillery know this all too well.

In an effort to help boost tourism in the area, while simultaneously helping to grow the Boatyard brand, the distillery provides tours five days per week. Here, lucky visitors are able to tour the distillery, located on the banks of Lough Erne, and see how they produce some of the world’s finest gins and vodkas.

Now, take it from me, I’ve been on plenty of distillery tours in my time, and this one is seriously up there amongst the best. Joe and the team are really looking to make their distillery tours stand out. They’re so committed in fact, that they recently brought in an expert to oversee and overhaul the entire touring process. If recent feedback is anything to go by, that was most certainly the smart thing to do.

Each tour lasts 90 minutes, and includes a gin and tonic reception, a lesson on the history and origins of the distillery, a neat tasting of their range of spirits, two cocktails, a complete behind-the-scenes tour, and the ability to sign and label your very own 70cl bottle of Boatyard spirit to take home with you. I have to say, I’m hugely impressed, and at just £55, if that’s not value for money, I don’t know what is.

The distillery tours themselves are also proving to be hugely popular and are helping to drive up the local tourism trade in the area. Well done, guys. Great stuff.

Photo Credit: Boatyard Distillery

Global Expansion

At the event, Joe also spoke at length about Boatyard’s growth and expansion overseas, and his vision for the future.

The distillery was initially founded by Joe back in 2016. Now, Joe was no rookie by any means. He came from a well respected background, in whisky wine no less. Initially he studied wine in Edinburgh before he moved to London and began working with the Scotch Malt Whisky Society.

His role here was barrel selection and analysis. It was through his work here, that he discovered a passion, and a talent, for creating gin. He honed his skills and mastered the art of gin distillation, even bringing his father on board to become a pro gin taster. How’s that for a job title?

In 2016, the Boatyard Distillery was established. They began at a very moderate pace, focusing primarily on local festivals, fairs, and markets. The gin was a huge hit and demand began to grow. It wasn’t long before they began exporting their gin and vodka to Europe, Asia, and even the US.

Back in 2021, Boatyard Gin was made available across New York state. The gin was distributed by Empire Merchants, a revered wine and spirits distributor who’s roots can be traced back to the end of prohibition. Boatyard appointed Michael Smoley as their Market Manager in the US, who himself was New York based. Sales are looking so strong in America in fact, that the distillery’s aim is to increase production by tenfold.

Another prominent figure overseeing Boatyard’s overseas expansion is Declan McGurk, who was appointed as Commercial Director back in late 2020. Declan previously worked at the Savoy, as the Director of Bars. After trying Boatyard Gin for the first time, he was so impressed that he ordered a batch for the American Bar at the Savoy Hotel. This was a monumental moment as the Savoy became the first bar outside of Ireland to stock the gin.

Boatyard hopes to leverage their Savoy connections to introduce Boatyard Gin and Vodka to new international markets, and with such a gifted and passionate team at the helm, that will likely be sooner, rather than later.

Sustainability at Heart

Before I wrap things up today, I also want to talk briefly about Boatyard Distillery’s sustainability efforts.

The distillery recently became the first of its kind to become B Corp certified, which it received back in 2023. They have also won a number of sustainability awards. Initially, despite sustainability being something they were all passionate about, in Joe’s own words, it wasn’t top of their agenda, in that they didn’t set out to become a sustainable business, it just sort of happened.

In 2022, they launched a ‘Green Team’ which they called ‘Better Boatyard’. The team’s primary objective was to improve the distillery’s sustainability practices. Now, as you know, we’re big on sustainability ourselves here at Great Drams. It’s why we repurpose old packaging whenever possible and have made an effort to cut way back on plastic. Boatyard, however, have taken things to a whole other level.

Not only do Boatyard make their bottles from recycled flint glass, they use shipping cartons made from recycled pulp, they repurpose old barrels into furniture, their bottle labels are made from recycled paper, they send excess fruit to local cocktail bars, they use recycled pallet wrap, they use eco pouches which have reduced packaging by as much as 84%, plus they have eco refill stations too. Heck, even their business cards are made from recycled Costa Coffee cups.

There’s so much more to cover on the sustainability front, but those are just some of the things that impressed me the most about Boatyard Distillery. Oh, and the gin and vodka is also absolutely amazing as well, so definitely check that out!

If you’d like to learn more about your favourite whiskies, or simply treat yourself to a dram or two in the process, head on over to GreatDrams.com and take a look at what we have to offer.

With an impressive selection of limited-edition, rare, and award-winning whisky, as well as heaps of whisky info on our blog, it’s the perfect spot for any whisky lovers out there.

Tags: Boatyard DistilleryFermanaghGlobal ExpansionsustainabilityTourism

Greg

My name is Greg, and I’m a brand strategy consultant, writer, speaker, host and judge specialising in premium spirits. My mission is to experience, share and inspire with everything great about whisky, whiskey, gin, beer and fine dining through my writing, my brand building and my whisky tastings.