From beverage distributor to own distillery: the Cooney family from the Boyne Valley
The Whistler is the whiskey brand of the Boann Distillery, founded by Patrick and Marie Cooney together with their children Sally-Anne, Celestine, Peter, Patrick, and James. Behind the move to their own distillery lies a family history with depth: for four decades, the Cooneys built up the Gleeson Group — from a small independent bottling plant to a company with an annual turnover of over 300 million euros. The knowledge of the Irish spirits market they gathered during this time flowed directly into the construction of the distillery in the Boyne Valley near Drogheda in County Louth. The distillery bears the name Boann, after the Celtic river goddess who, according to legend, created the nearby River Boyne. The brand name The Whistler is owed to Pat Cooney personally – whose whistling melodies echo through the halls of the distillery and gave the range its character.
With the start of their own distilling operations on December 13, 2019, Boann became the first active whiskey distillery in Drogheda in over 50 years – a conscious bridge to the historical distilling culture of the region, which was once known for its whiskey.
Single Pot Still as the heart: craftsmanship, water, and a closed loop
The production principle at Boann is consistently geared towards quality and control. From the grist mill to the mash, to maturation and bottling, everything runs under one roof – no step is outsourced. The brewing water system is specifically designed for the production of Single Pot Still and combines a mash conversion vessel with a lauter tun to efficiently process the unmalted grain components – a core feature of the Irish Pot Still style – while maintaining maximum aroma and mouthfeel. Distillation takes place in characteristic nano-copper pot stills; the water comes from their own well in the Boyne Valley. The distillery operates in a closed water loop that reuses process water and uses it to heat the facility. Additionally, rainwater is collected to further reduce the demand for fresh water.
Three styles, one philosophy: the range from The Whistler
The Whistler today comprises a broad range that extends from classic blends to Single Pot Still bottlings and experimental cask finishes. The Triple Oak Small Batch, for example, combines Single Pot Still, Single Malt, and Single Grain from carefully selected Irish casks into a rounded, accessible entry into the Boann style. At the other end of the spectrum is the P.X. I Love You, where more mature whiskey is finished in Pedro Ximénez sherry casks, thereby developing pronounced dried fruit notes and a dense, sweet structure. Furthermore, the distillery experiments with Calvados, Imperial Stout, and Cognac cask finishes as well as with specially harvested family stocks: the Honey Whiskey, for example, is refined with honey from the Cooneys' own orchards. What connects all bottlings is the ambition not to copy Irish whiskey tradition, but to further develop it with the artisanal scope of an independent family distillery.
