23 June 2020
By Elaine Murphy
elaine@TheCork.ie
Jameson producer Irish Distillers has announced the appointment of Katherine Condon as Distiller at Midleton Distillery. Katherine will report to newly appointed Master Distiller, Kevin O’Gorman, with responsibility for the production process from brewing to distillation. Tasting all distillates daily, Katherine will oversee the quality of all new pot and grain distillates produced at Midleton, to ensure the correct balance of flavours are present, before being matured and bottled.
A chemical engineer, Katherine joined Irish Distillers in 2014 as part of the Graduate Distiller Programme. Upon successful completion of the programme, Katherine was appointed Distiller at the Micro Distillery in Midleton, Irish Distillers’ hub for innovation and experimentation with new distillate styles. From there she moved to the main distillery as a process technologist and, most recently, production supervisor. During her time with Irish Distillers, Katherine has played a vital role in the production of many new innovations, including the Method and Madness range.
Katherine holds a Bachelor of Engineering Degree in Process and Chemical Engineering from University College Cork and a Diploma in Distilling from the Institute of Brewing and Distilling. Katherine was awarded “The Worshipful Company of Distillers Award” in 2018 and 2019 for outstanding achievement by the Institute of Brewing and Distilling.
Kevin O’Gorman, Master Distiller at Midleton Distillery, said:
“Katherine has consistently demonstrated a passion and exceptional skillset for the art of distillation. Her inquisitive nature and constant pursuit of excellence has made her one of the rising stars of world distilling and we are delighted to announce her appointment as Distiller at Midleton Distillery. I look forward to continuing to with work with her as she joins a lineage of the great Distillers who have gone before her.”
Katherine Condon, Distiller at Irish Distillers, added:
“I am honoured to be appointed as Distiller. This role represents a time-honoured craft and it has been a privilege to learn about the art and science of distilling from icons of world whiskey like Brian Nation and Kevin O’Gorman. I look forward to using the wisdom and experience I have inherited to continue their legacy of quality, while driving innovation as I continue my career in Midleton. I am incredibly excited about the future of Irish whiskey and the role I can play in it.”
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