PJ Rigney

Patrick "P.J." Rigney is an Irish spirits industry veteran and serial entrepreneur with over 40 years of experience building globally recognized brands. He is best known as the founder of The Shed Distillery in Drumshanbo, County Leitrim, established in 2014, which has become the world's largest family-owned gin distillery.

Rigney began his career in the early 1980s in marketing roles with Bulmer's cider, Gilbey's Gin, and Carolan's Irish Cream before spending a decade with Baileys, where he created the innovative twin-bottle Sheridan's Irish Cream Liqueur. He later co-founded Boru Vodka and Clontarf Whiskey in 1999.

The Shed Distillery is renowned for producing Drumshanbo Gunpowder Irish Gin, which has earned numerous accolades including Best Gin in the World at the 2019 Flaviar Awards and Spirit Brand of the Year at Wine Enthusiast's 2022 Wine Star Awards. The distillery also produces Sausage Tree Pure Irish Vodka and Drumshanbo Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey, marking the first whiskey distilled in Connacht in over 101 years.
Nicknamed "the modern Marco Polo" of spirits, Rigney draws inspiration from his extensive travels across Asia, Africa, and Europe, incorporating exotic botanicals into his products. A University College Dublin graduate, he combines traditional artisanal methods with premium branding, creating spirits that tell compelling stories while revitalizing rural Irish communities through employment and sustainability initiatives.