Exclusive: Irish Distillers Master Distiller Brian Nation To Join Minnesota Startup O’Shaughnessy Distilling Co.

Irish Distillers announced this morning that master distiller Brian Nation is leaving the group and will be replaced by Kevin O’Gorman, who’s currently serving as the company’s master of maturation. SND has learned that Nation will now join O’Shaughnessy Distilling Co., a U.S. craft start-up based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He’ll move to the U.S. and serve as O’Shaughnessy’s master distiller on an exclusive, full-time basis, O’Shaughnessy tells SND.

O’Shaughnessy Distilling Co. is the vision of Irish-American cousins Michael and Patrick O’Shaughnessy, who plan to create a line of Irish and Irish-inspired spirits that pay tribute to their family heritage. Planning began last year for construction of their distillery in Minneapolis, which will feature indoor and outdoor tasting venues. It’s slated for completion by summer 2021, the company said, when some spirits will also be ready for tasting.

O’Shaughnessy Distilling said that right now, the focus will be “to
create world class whiskies.”

Nation has been with Irish Distillers, which is part of Pernod Ricard, since 1997. He started in the company’s environmental department, and in 2002 moved into developing blends for the Jameson brand. He went on to work with Irish Distillers’ legendary master distiller Barry Crockett for 10 years, succeeding him in 2013. O’Gorman has been with Irish Distillers since 1998, and has been master of maturation since 2007.—David Fleming

Tagged : O'Shaughnessy Distilling Co.

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