Story of The Whistler

In the heart of the Boyne Valley, the Cooney family is reviving the time-honoured traditions of Ireland's master distillers. It is here, at the Boann Distillery, that they set about creating the finest whiskies.

Boann Distillery is a family-run company founded and trusted by Patrick and Marie Cooney and their family; Sally-Anne, Celestine, Peter, Patrick and James.

With a combined wealth of experience, including 40 years in the Irish drinks industry, during which time they have built the Gleeson Group from a small independent bottler to a company with a turnover in excess of €300 million a year, the Cooney family understand what it takes to create successful premium brands.

It has always been their family dream to produce and distil their own Irish whiskey.

Their specially designed and distinctive nano-copper stills and cellars with fine oak casks ensure that they produce whiskies with distinctive character and a real sense of place.

Boann Distillery is located in Drogheda, Co. Meath, in the heart of the Boyne Valley in Ireland. The distillery is part of the Origin Green initiative and operates a closed water system, recycling all of its incoming water and the heat generated helps to run the packaging lines, restaurant, visitor centre and offices.

Boann is more than just whiskey. It takes inspiration from the past and gathers knowledge from the present to breathe new life into an ancient Irish craft. From milling to mashing, distilling, aging and bottling, every elegant bite of The Whistler whiskey is crafted in the tranquility of a unique family-run distillery.

They choose only the finest casks to age their whiskey. Knowing what to use for maturation and when to bottle is the key to making The Whistler whisky play the right notes.

Boann is the Irish goddess of the River Boyne, a river in the province of Leinster, Ireland. According to legend, she was also the wife of Nechtan, the then leader of the Tuatha dé Danann.

Nechtan was a very powerful figure who ruled over a vast territory and in particular ruled over the ancient well of Segais. This well is surrounded by nine sacred wisdom hazel trees, which all blossom and bear fruit at the same hour. It is said that anyone who enjoys the hazelnuts that have fallen into the well, or drinks its crystal clear water, will gain knowledge and a poetic tongue.

One day Boann went for a walk with her Irish wolfhound, Dabilla, and although forbidden by her husband, she approached the ancient well, where she challenged its power by going around it in a wide arc, causing the water to rise sharply and run down into the sea, forming the River Boyne.

In this catastrophe she was swept away by the rushing waters and lost an arm, a leg and an eye, and finally her life.

The River Boyne has been known since antiquity and despite its short course, it has enormous historical, archaeological and mythical significance that is deeply rooted in Irish culture.

From the goddess of the River Boyne, the Conney family took their name. From the goodness of the Boyne Valley they take her pure ingredients.

Every ingredient is 100 % natural and 100 % local. Every drop of water comes from a Boyne Valley well. Every grain of barley comes from local farmers.

For water, they use a closed-loop system, recycling all incoming water and maximizing the use of energy from their systems. The heat produced helps run the packing lines and heat the restaurant, visitor center and offices. Rainwater harvesting is used to minimize the carbon footprint.

All of the bi-products from distillation, brewing and spent grains are very high in protein and are used as animal feed.

From milling to mashing, aging to bottling, every elegant bite of Boann malt pot still whiskey, Whistler whiskey and craft gin is created in the silence of the family distillery.