HEINEKEN Ireland is launching a new limited-edition version of Murphy’s Irish Stout to celebrate 170 years of brewing at its Lady’s Well Brewery in Cork.
Murphy’s 170 Whiskey Cask Stout is a special limited-edition stout that has been aged in whiskey barrels at the Midleton Distillery in Cork. The limited-edition stout will be available in more than 80 outlets in Cork City and County from late September.
Murphy’s partnership with the Midleton Distillery is particularly apt, as James J. Murphy and his brothers sold their stake in the Midleton Distillery to found the Lady’s Well brewery on Leitrim Street, in Cork City.
James Murphy, who in 1825 founded the Midleton Distillery, was the grandfather of James J. Murphy, who along with his brothers, broke away from the family's distilling interests to purchase the former Cork Foundling Hospital at Lady's Well. They established the Lady's Well Brewery on the site, with brewing commencing in 1856.
To produce the special Whiskey Cask Stout, Murphy’s was brewed in the traditional manner at Lady’s Well Brewery in Cork. Once the brew was fully fermented and matured, the stout was transferred to whiskey casks in Midleton for aging.
When the Muphy’s Stout had taken the Irish whiskey flavours from the wooden cask, it was then returned to Lady’s Well for further maturation and kegging, and nitrogen was added to give Murphy’s 170 Whiskey Cask Stout a beautiful smooth finish.
Murphy’s 170 Whiskey Cask Stout’s taste profile has notes of caramel, vanilla, roast coffee and dark fruit, with a lasting flavour intensity. It has a rich whiskey aroma, with traces of vanilla and oak, complemented by dark berries and a subtle red wine nuance. As it has been aged in whiskey barrels, Murphy’s 170 Whiskey Cask Stout has an ABV of 8.4%.
PJ Tierney, Head Brewer, HEINEKEN Ireland said:
“We are delighted to celebrate 170 years of brewing at Lady’s Well in Cork with the launch of this very special limited edition Murphy’s 170 Whiskey Cask Stout. It is a wonderful collaboration between our brewers at Lady’s Well and the distillers at Midleton Distillery to create a unique variation of Murphy’s Stout that harks back to very foundation of the brewery in 1856.”
Kevin O’Gorman, Master Distiller at Midleton Distillery said:
“We were delighted to partner with HEINEKEN Ireland on Murphy’s 170 Whiskey Cask Stout, a collaboration that brings together two proud Cork traditions with a shared history. By finishing Murphy’s Irish Stout in Midleton Distillery whiskey barrels, we are honouring that tradition while creating something genuinely innovative for both stout and whiskey lovers alike.”
Murphy’s Irish Stout is currently enjoying a significant expansion in sales alongside HEINEKEN Ireland’s other stout brand Beamish, as both stouts are growing by 28% in the local market.
HEINEKEN Ireland is celebrating 170 years of brewing at Lady Well this year, as the famous Leitrim Street brewery opened in June 1856. Murphy’s Stout was first brewed onsite at Lady’s Well in 1889.
Jonathan Barry, On Trade Regional Manager, at Heineken Ireland said:
“Murphy’s Stout has been central to brewing at Lady’s Well since it was first produced in 1889, and it remains a key element of our business. Murphy’s sales are growing significantly at present, and this limited edition Murphy’s 170 Whiskey Cask Stout is a fitting celebration of Murphy’s and the Lady’s Well Brewery.”
The Lady's Well Brewery is at the heart of HEINEKEN Ireland’s business, as more than 95 per cent of the company's draught beer sold in Ireland is brewed in Cork. Aside from Murphy’s, the Lady’s Well brewery produces Heineken, Birra Moretti, Coors, and Orchard Thieves Cider.
HEINEKEN Ireland Timeline at Lady’s Well Brewery
1856: James J Murphy sold his interest in the whiskey distillery in Middleton and along his brothers establish the Lady’s Well Brewery in Cork
1889: Murphy’s Irish Stout is brewed for the first time
1889: New Malt House is built, and it remains the company’s headquarters to this day
1906: Lady’s Well Brewery celebrates its Golden Jubilee
1978: Murphy’s Brewery launches Heineken in the Irish market
1983: Murphy’s becomes a Heineken subsidiary
1989: Heineken becomes the Number 1 lager in Ireland
1994: Murphy’s becomes title sponsor of Irish Open Golf Tournament
2006: 150 years of Lady’s Well Brewery
2008: Beamish & Crawford bought by Heineken – combining 398 years of Cork brewing
2015: Birra Moretti launched
2017: Lady’s Well Brewery produces cider for the first time
2018: Heineken 0.0 launched
2026: Murphy’s 170 Whiskey Cask Stout launched to celebrate 170 years of Lady’s Well Brewery
