The idea of starting a distillery has been a topic of dinner table conversation among the Clancy family for some time. As plans came together we thought long and hard about where to locate the new venture. While we are passionate about Lanesborough, where we grew up, we are all too practically minded to make the decision on purely sentimental grounds.

Then the penny dropped. Lough Ree Distillery is all about connection: connecting Whiskey tradition with modern technology. Connecting the gentle pace of rural Ireland with the confidence of a new generation. So it was more than our own roots that decided it for us. It was the bridge connecting East and West, the roads and river that connect Lanesborough to the rest of the region. Then, after securing the ideal premises we found out that our great grand uncle was resident there at the time of the 1901 Census. A sign if ever there was one!