"Our Story so far....."
Producers & purveyors of small batch, Premium, non industrial, Artisan cider's & brandy.
William O'Callaghan and his father Michael before him have been fermenting craft cider and distilling Ireland's only Apple Brandy now for over 30 years. Using only heritage, heirloom cider apples namely Michelin (Normandy) and Dabinett (Somerset) grown in our substantial orchards in the beautiful Blackwater Valley.
Cider Apples differ hugely in taste from cooking, eating or dessert apples, cider apples are naturally higher in tannin's and lower in fructose which results in a much cleaner, crisp cider, lower in calories than commercially produced ciders. We are one of only four single origin orchards in Ireland, using only apples from our own sustainable orchard's in our cider's, incorporating a "blossom-to-bottle" ethos helping to ensure sustainability, authenticity, quality, traceability and compliance, on the grounds of our award winning country house in Mallow, County Cork.
Michael O'Callaghan
"Our Founding Father, a proud Corkman, an exceptional character with great passion, forsight & vision"
It all started when William’s father, the late Michael O’Callaghan, planted 25 acres of sustainable cider apple orchard's in 1985. He became the first person in Ireland, outside the big three established national distillers to get a licence and so became the first person since the 1770's to reintroduce to Ireland the practice of distilling cider. A proud Cork/Irishman with a very deep fondness for his county and country, a pioneering spirit and a very passionate man about Brandy, Calvados & Cognac, Michael was the first man ever to try to grow grapes here in Ireland. He was keen to grow grapes and apples to make wine and cider and then double distill that wine and cider to make brandy and a product like Calvados (our Irish Apple Brandy), While there was no real constituency in growing grapes, the Orchards continue to flourishe and thrive and William now continues his father's vision and legacy, with the guidance of Dan Duggan - Longuevilles’ Master Distiller and Chief Cideroligist.
William and Dan have refined the ancient crafts of cider and brandy production. They have brought the cider and brandy production to another level while maintaining the very natural and respectful processes of our fore fathers, the terroir and sustainability - crushing, pressing, fermentation, filtration, light carbonation, pasteurisation.
"Our expertise in fermenting cider and in distilling and maturing brandy delivers one of Ireland's best ciders and only brandy that combines a unique smoothness and richness with a distinct apple-sweet taste that we are immensely proud of."
William O'Callaghan
Chef, Proprietor & Patron