Clonakilty Distillery sees strong growth in US market 

Clonakilty Distillery founder Michael Scully said 'these results demonstrate that Clonakilty is building sustainable momentum through strong consumer demand and strategic execution'. File picture

Cork whiskey producer Clonakilty Distillery has seen its sales in the US increase significantly during the first half of the year, bucking the trend of an overall decline in Irish beverage exports to the country seen so far this year.

The independent Cork distillery said it has doubled its sales in the US during the first half of 2026, with recent figures from international distributor Marussia Beverages showing the company recorded 36.2% year-over-year depletion growth and a 39.8% growth in Nielsen sales.

This growth is being led by Clonakilty’s ‘Galley Head’ whiskey.

“The single pot still and grain blend has more than doubled its US sales, reporting an impressive 113% year-on-year increase in depletions and a 33.2% rise in shipments,” the company said.

“As the primary growth engine within Clonakilty’s portfolio, Galley Head is now firmly established across key US markets, with impressive sales numbers from Massachusetts to Florida and Oregon.” On top of its whiskey, Clonakilty Distillery also produces Minke Irish Gin and Vodka.

Clonakilty Distillery founder Michael Scully said “these results demonstrate that Clonakilty is building sustainable momentum through strong consumer demand and strategic execution”.

“Our continued investment in retail partnerships, distributor support and activations is translating into meaningful growth across the country. It is incredibly rewarding to see an independent Irish brand resonate so strongly with US consumers, especially in a challenging wider market.” 

Clonakilty Distillery was established in 2016 by the Scully family.

According to the latest exports data from the CSO the value of Irish beverage exports to the US alone declined by 8% in May to €54.7m. The value of global beverage exports was down by 2.5% to just over €165m.

During the first five months of this year, the total value of beverage exports to the US was down 13.4% to €306.65m compared to the same period in 2025. The total global value of Irish beverage exports during this period declined nearly 4% from €903.9m to €869.3m.

Whiskey market decline 

According to a Bord Bia report, the Irish whiskey market saw a 5% decline in export value to €930m during 2025 with exports to the US also seeing a 5% decline year-on-year as the country imposed tariffs on imports.

The report also noted that exports to the EU were stable but mixed with exports to Belgium, Italy and Spain all showed good levels of growth but exports to Poland were down. The top market was Germany, which was down earlier in the year but recovered as the year progressed.

Clonakilty Distillery said the US remains the biggest market for the wider Irish drinks trade but the it has become more of a challenging market in recent years due to a number of reasons including changing consumer preferences, persistent concerns around inflation and the cost-of-living, and reduced margins for exporters due to the tariff regime.

The Irish whiskey sector has been facing difficulty in recent years. Back in May, production at Slane Castle distillery was paused with its owner Brown-Forman, one of the largest whiskey producers in the US, saying it could remain paused for several years in order to align with market conditions.

Last year, Diageo-owned Irish brand Roe & Co paused production with similar moves being made by Pernod Richard’s Jameson distillery, William Grant’s Tullamore distillery, and Quintessential Brand’s Dublin Liberties distillery.