Reviving the Spirits of Belfast with McConnell’s Whisky CEO John Kelly
Join us in jail, or is it gaol, as in the Crumlin Road Gaol, the last Victorian era prison relic in Northern Ireland, now being put to better use as the home of the Belfast Distillery Company, working to revive the classic old McConnell’s Whisky brand and creating a major new hospitality and tourist attraction in the process.
We stop for “just the one” in this all-too brief episode, where CEO John Kelly lays out the twin goals for the distillery: “Restore the legend of McConnell’s Irish Whisky that was and will be again, and bring distilling back to Belfast.”
The 22-year veteran of Guinness and Diageo knows the spirits industry…and the neighborhood, having gone to school just over the prison wall, back in the bad old days of the Crumlin Road Gaol.
John shares insights on why Irish whiskey lost favor, how it is now roaring back, and the immersive experiences drawing visitors to this dramatic new distillery.
And BTW—it isn’t a typo—McConnell’s spells it “whisky” without the “e”.
Links:
McConnell's Whisky
John Kelly
Episode Details: Season 7, Episode 18; Total Episode Count: 121
00:00 - Introduction
02:04 - The McConnell's Whisky Idea
03:21 - John Kelly Backstory
05:55 - The Near Death of Irish Whiskey
07:43 - Reviving McConnell's Whiskey
08:59 - A Bottle in the Wall
10:38 - The McConnell's Visitor Experience
13:23 - John and Martin Recap
14:35 - Credits
John Kelly
JOHN KELLY, CEO, is a highly respected drinks industry veteran, with over 30 years’ experience in the sector, including 22 years with Diageo, where he held senior roles in sales, marketing and general management within Ireland, Europe and the Middle East. John also worked with Walsh Whiskey in Carlow, Ireland.
In 2021, John joined Belfast Distillery Company as CEO and is building the team, bringing distilling back to Belfast in the repurposed Crumlin Road Gaol.
In his spare time, John enjoys playing golf, coaching, and ferrying his children around to their various sports events, and best of all, watching from the sidelines.
