Jameson's Barry Crocket retires after 47yrs

Brian Nation is to take from Barry Crocket as master distiller of Jameson Irish Whiskey

Irish Distillers Pernod Ricard has announced that Barry Crockett, master distiller of Jameson Irish Whiskey, will retire this month, bidding a fond farewell to the Midleton Distillery in Cork after 47 years; 31 of which he spent as Master Distiller. Brian Nation, who has been mentored by Barry for the last ten years, will take over the role of master distiller.

Born in the distiller’s cottage that sits on the grounds of the Old Midleton Distillery, Barry has been immersed in the craft of whiskey distilling for almost 50 years. At the age of seventeen, Barry began learning his craft as a young apprentice to his father and Midleton master distiller, Max Crockett, eventually succeeding him in 1981.

Brian joined the Midleton Distillery, Cork in December 1997 and is currently a distiller and global brand ambassador for Jameson. He received the Worshipful Company of Distillers Award for achieving the highest IBD distilling exam results in the world in 2006, whilst also becoming the first Irish Distiller to receive this award.

He comments: “It’s an incredible privilege to be Barry’s successor. Barry has dedicated his life to Midleton and is a well-known figure in the global whiskey industry, so it has been a great honour to be mentored by him over the last ten years. Barry has been an inspiration to me and I am looking forward to continuing the traditions that have gone before me and to ensuring the whiskeys of Midleton continue to be enjoyed and recognised as the best Irish Whiskeys in the world.”

15 March 2013 - Felicity Murray