Crockett, Barry (1948–), the former master distiller of Irish Distillers Limited (IDL), was the third generation of his family to work at the Midleton distillery. His father, Max, was master distiller before him, and Barry was born in the distiller’s cottage opposite the original plant. See Irish Distillers Limited (IDL).
He started to work at the distillery in 1965 at age seventeen, dealing with the farmers who supplied the distillery’s barley. In 1975, he oversaw the transition of operations from the “old Midleton” site to a purpose-built new distillery. By 1981 Crockett had succeeded his father as master distiller.
Regarded as one of the world’s most technologically advanced whisky distilleries, the new Midleton site was set up to produce a wide variety of Irish whisky styles to be used in IDL’s many brands—the most notable being Jameson, Power’s, and Paddy. This required a highly flexible regime in which various grain whiskies and single pot still whiskies of different characters could be crafted in a single facility. Crockett also oversaw the whiskies made for the first Irish super-premium blend, Midleton Very Rare.
While the blends were the major focus of production, he and his colleagues closely safeguarded the old Irish style of single pot still and implemented a long-term strategy geared at its revival. When, in 2011, IDL brought this strategy to fruition by launching its single pot still range, one particular whisky, typifying the old Midleton style, was named Barry Crockett Legacy after the man who had kept the style alive.
In 2013, Crockett retired after being part of the team that supervised another major expansion of the distillery. The new Midleton stillhouse was named in his honor. He has subsequently taken a degree in archival studies and is now a member of IDL’s archive team. Its base is his childhood home.
“The Revival.” Irish Independent, November 20, 2015.
By: Dave Broom