Robert Cassell

Career Robert Cassell’s career in distilling runs from cofounding Philadelphia Distilling in 2004 to founding New Liberty Distillery in 2014, with Connacht Distillery in Ballina, Ireland, now the center of his work as Master Distiller and founder. The sequence shows a practice built through successive openings rather than a single fixed post: one distillery, then another, then a role that combines plant-level responsibility with authorship over the operation itself. - Founder — New Liberty Distillery, Kensington neighborhood of Philadelphia (2014–present) - Master Distiller and Founder — Connacht Distillery, Ballina, Ireland - Cofounder — Philadelphia Distilling, Philadelphia (from 2004)

The Path

Cofounding Philadelphia Distilling in Philadelphia in 2004 gave Robert Cassell an early platform for distilling work that had to be built as well as made. In a trade where the margin between idea and finished spirit depends on consistency, that first chapter set a practical baseline: learn the process, hold the line on detail, and keep moving the work forward. New Liberty Distillery, founded in Kensington, Philadelphia in 2014, and Connacht Distillery in Ballina, Ireland extend that same approach across place and scale. Read together, those roles describe a distiller whose career has been shaped by accumulation — each step adding another layer of responsibility without leaving the core discipline of the craft behind.

The Work Today

At Connacht Distillery in Ballina, Ireland, the work sits in the overlap between technical control and institutional direction. As Master Distiller and founder, Robert Cassell’s role is defined by both the day-to-day demands of distilling and the larger task of setting the terms of the house itself.

Signature

Robert's signature dishes include Pennsylvania Dutch Malt. The name is specific in the way good distilling often is: place-forward, grain-forward, and built around the kind of detail that shapes a spirit’s character. It reads as a working expression of method rather than ornament.

Acclaim

Master Distiller is the credential attached to Robert Cassell, and Pennsylvania Dutch Malt shows why that title matters in practice. Pennsylvania Dutch Malt was New Liberty Distillery’s first aged-whiskey release, made from 100 percent local barley and noted for its char-forward use of new oak barrels and its darker Münich-style roast on the malt. Those details point to a distilling hand attentive to material and process, with each choice carrying through to the finished spirit.

FAQ What is Robert Cassell's current role? As of 2026, Robert Cassell is Master Distiller and Founder. Where did Robert Cassell work before? Robert Cassell's earlier career included Philadelphia Distilling.