For Irish whiskey, provenance matters.

At The Malting Company of Ireland, our malt begins with the people and farms that grow the barley. That connection was brought to life recently when we visited the De Gud family farm in Kinsale, Co. Cork, alongside Pat Rigney of The Shed Distillery, ahead of harvest.

It was an opportunity to see first-hand the exceptional quality of the barley that will become part of the journey of Drumshanbo Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey.

Family to family

The De Gud family are one of the 600 Irish growers within the Malting Company of Ireland growers network, growing the barley that gets malted just over the road in Togher. Their farm represents something that is central to what we do: a direct connection between Irish growers, Irish malt and the finished products that are enjoyed around the world.

For Pat Rigney and The Shed Distillery, that provenance is particularly important. Drumshanbo Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey is triple distilled in Drumshanbo using 100% family-grown Irish barley and Irish oats, creating the richness and smoothness that defines the spirit.

That journey starts in fields like those at the De Gud family farm.

“You reap what you sow.”

It is a simple sentiment, but one that captures the importance of getting every stage right – from seed in the ground, to harvest, to malting, to distilling.

Quality starts in the field

Visiting the farm ahead of harvest gave us the chance to assess the barley in the field and see the care that goes into producing the quality required by Ireland’s distillers.

At MCI, we believe quality is built through the entire supply chain. Our growers, our malting team and our customers are connected by a shared commitment to producing exceptional quality.

Our network of 600 growers gives us that connection directly to the farm. It gives us traceability, a deep understanding of where our barley comes from, and a relationship with the people responsible for growing it.

And ultimately, it means that when an Irish whiskey travels from Drumshanbo to markets around the world, there is an Irish farming story travelling with it.

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Irish provenance, enjoyed around the world

The journey from a family farm in Kinsale to a bottle of Drumshanbo Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey is a distinctly Irish one – but the finished product has an international reach.

This is what makes Irish malt such an important part of the story. The quality of our barley and the expertise behind its malting can contribute to Irish brands that are enjoyed far beyond our shores.

For MCI, working with producers such as The Shed Distillery is about more than supplying malt. It is about connecting the grower to the distiller and ensuring that the provenance and quality of Irish barley remains part of the story all the way through to the finished spirit.

From family farm to family distillery, it is a truly Irish journey.

And it all starts with quality.