Eddie Murphy, Country Director at M&S, Ireland and Northern Ireland, and Peter Cooney, Export Sales Director at Boann Distillery
Boann Distillery in the Boyne Valley has partnered with Marks & Spencer to launch a new own-label Irish whiskey for customers in Ireland and the UK.
Stillness Irish Whiskey is a triple-cask blend produced exclusively for M&S and builds on a two-year partnership between the retailer and the County Meath distillery.
Boann Distillery is a second-generation family business founded by the Cooney family, whose experience in the Irish drinks industry spans more than 60 years. Since opening in 2019, the distillery has grown to employ more than 90 people across two sites in County Meath and Tipperary. The business remains family-run, with Patrick Cooney as CEO and family members leading exports, operations, finance, marketing and hospitality.
Peter Cooney, Export Sales Director at Boann Distillery, said: “Working with M&S has pushed us in the best possible way. They’re meticulous, they’re demanding in all the right ways, and we absolutely love working with them.”
The whiskey was developed over two years of close collaboration between M&S product developers and the Boann team, with multiple visits to the distillery in Lagavooren, on the outskirts of Drogheda, for on-site blending and tasting sessions until the final blend was agreed.
Peter added: “To see Stillness Irish Whiskey on M&S shelves after two years of development is an absolute honour. This launch marks M&S’s first own-label Irish whiskey, and we’re proud to have partnered with them to bring it to life.”
The name Stillness was inspired by the peaceful beauty of the nearby River Boyne. Distillery team member Gary Ring captured the sense of place in an essay that resonated with both the Cooney family and the M&S team, who agreed it perfectly reflected the character of the whiskey.
Eddie Murphy, Country Director for M&S Ireland and Northern Ireland, said: “Stillness is a delicious addition to our spirits range and a real showcase of what Irish producers do best. Boann is a family business with deep roots in County Meath, and the quality and craft that goes into every bottle really comes through. We’re proud to bring our customers a whiskey they can trust for both great taste and great value.”
Rooted in the heart of the Boyne Valley, Boann Distillery is committed to quality, provenance and sustainability. A Bord Bia Origin Green Gold Member, the distillery recently made history when its Boann PX Single Pot Still scored 99 points at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition, the highest score ever awarded to an Irish whiskey.
Stillness Irish Whiskey is available now in M&S stores across Ireland and the UK.
