Master of an art with 200 years of creative history
'I have the best job in the world,' says Kevin O'Gorman, the Master Distiller at Midleton Distillery since 2020 — one of the most coveted positions in world whiskey.
Such a declaration is a rarity in the varied world of work — but an admission that Kevin underlines as the unadorned truth. Kevin's brief includes responsibility for maintaining the quality of all new pot and grain distillates produced at Midleton, in addition to overseeing the production process from brewing to distillation, and the tasting of all whiskeys to ensure the quality of all new pot and grain distillates produced at Midleton.
'Since starting my career in Irish Distillers in 1998, I have been lucky to learn from master distillers like Barry Crockett and Brendan Monks about the intricacies of the whiskey production, from grain to glass.'
Having held the role of Master of Maturation since 2007, Kevin took over from Brian Nation, who served as Master Distiller since 2013.
Kevin O'Gorman, Master Distiller at Midleton Distillery since 2020.
Acutely aware of his link in an esteemed chain, Kevin pays homage to his predecessors: 'It is impossible not to be conscious of your place in history here, and how important my predecessors in this role have been. We go all the way back to 1825, and that is obviously a hugely important milestone in our history.'
Kevin is also tasked with sourcing the casks used for maturing the raw spirit, smooth running of the maturation process and finally tending to the product as it matures in cask, including working with the 150-year aged wood from North America, France and Spain. A brand ambassador across the globe, he represents Irish Distillers on an international scale.
Topping his extensive work portfolio is responsibility for the Midleton Very Rare Silent Distillery Collection — the name derives from having been distilled at the Old Midleton Distillery, which 'fell silent' after it closed in 1975.
'Like the distillate itself, the maturation journey of this whiskey is both complex and rare. 'In my former position as Master of Maturation it was a joy and privilege to play my part in the overseeing of the aging process in recent years, taking it to the final process if its bottling at peak perfection. It really is liquid gold.'
A Cork native, Kevin is a graduate of the University of Limerick and holds a Diploma in Distilling from the Institute of Brewing and Distilling.
Having started his career in Midleton in 1998, working as a distiller under the tutelage of Barry Crockett, then moving to maturation where he honed his skills under then Master of Maturation Brendan Monks.
Working with distillery teams in facilitating spirit options for new brands like Method & Madness and extensions in the Jameson, Redbreast and Spot range, Kevin spent much of his time pre-pandemic travelling to source the highest quality casks from world renowned cooperages, while overseeing the full maturation process across the portfolio.
'The growth of Jameson and our premium whiskeys has been nothing short of extraordinary,' Kevin notes of the upward trajectory. 'There is clearly a demand for premium whiskies out there, people want to try something different.'
In a career that has taken him on a remarkable journey so far, this man with 'the best job in the world' has no hesitation of extolling its virtues to the next generation of graduates coming up.
'There are tremendous opportunities within the industry, and we have taken on so many people over the past number of years through our graduate programme. Working in an industry with such great growth prospects and offering such varied and interested options, it really is a career choice like none other.'
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