Anyone who has traveled extensively throughout this wonderful country or who may have visited from abroad will be in no doubt that we have some of the most enchanting scenery and landscapes to compete with all others.  When someone decides to build a distillery with the largest lake in the country on one side and the sea on the other then you know that it's going to be just a little special. It also makes for a very interesting journey. Throw in some wonderful 'adverturous' roads, a ferry or two, a windswept lough and the fact that you are not very far from a bustling major city and you have a recipe for a very exciting and enjoyable distillery visit.

The distillery in question is the lovely Echlinville Distillery situated just off the A20 on the Ards peninsula or what is basically the scenic coastal route into Belfast. I paid a visit to the distillery on a rather blustery mid February day but this only added to the sense of adventure and provided for interesting vistas that somehow, only Irish weather seems to produce!

One of a new wave of Irish distilleries, Echlinville has just recently thrown open its doors to its multi-million pound still house and visitor center. The facility was the first new licensed whiskey distillery in Northern Ireland in more than 125 years when it received its license to distill in 2013.

The distillery is situated within the grounds of the historic Echlinville Estate which is surrounded by lovely views of rolling green countryside including the estate land from which the distillery sows and harvests its annual barley crop.

Shane Braniff the distillery's owner, is spot on when he describes the still house as the jewel-in-the-crown and this modern bright and spacious building contains both pot and column stills. The still house has been designed to showcase the beauty of the purpose-built copper pot stills and the craftsmanship of the equipment, whilst maximising the view of the surrounding countryside and the land on which the grains are grow.

If you wish to know more about the stills that are in situ then you will have to pay Echlinville a visit!  The building also includes a maturation hall, bottling and storage facilities, and function room.

The distillery produces a range of spirits including single malt and single pot still whiskeys, a super-premium poitéen under the brand name 'Bán Poitéen' that has been getting rave reviews. Two quality gins, Echlinville Single Estate Gin and Jawbox gin are also produced at the distillery.  The Echlinville Single estate Gin is the only one of it's kind produced in Ireland.

As mentioned, Echlinville produces both single malt and single pot still whiskey. It's premier whiskey brand is Dunville's VR, one that has a very long, distinguished and rich history dating back to the early 19th century and was famous around the world for its quality.  Echlinville, who own the brand, re-launched the whiskey in a bottle almost identical to its forebears and it has proven to be an excellent whiskey already winning the Best Irish Whiskey 12 years and under at the 2016 Irish Whiskey Awards.

Dunville's VR Irish Whiskey Of The Year 12 year & under. Irish Whiskey Awards 2016

The Dunville's brand has a fascinating history.  Dunville & Co. was a tea and spirits merchant company, based in Belfast, County Antrim. The company initially gained success as an Irish whiskey blender, but later produced and marketed its own whiskey, having constructed its own distillery. The company was founded by John Dumvill who joined William Napier of Napier & Co.  The spelling of Dumvill was changed to Dunville and in 1825 the company name became Dunville & Co. In 1837, Dunville began producing its most popular whisky Dunville's VR. Unusual for Irish whiskey, the name does not include the 'e' .

As a premier Irish whiskey brand, Dunville's history and provenance is easily confirmed as shown here on the window of a building in London in 1863.

Having gained success as a whiskey blender, Dunville & Co. constructed their own distillery, the Royal Irish Distilleries, on the edge of Belfast in 1869 a short drive from Echlinville's present location. When built, the distillery occupied an impressive four-storey red-brick building, and was one of the most modern in Ireland. With production from five pot stills, and later a Coffey still, at its peak the distillery had a capacity of over 2.5 million gallons per annum, making it amongst the largest in the country.  Much of the distillery's output was used in the company's whiskey blends, Dunville's VR and Dunville's Three Crowns.

Echlinville have also recently re-launched the Dunville's Belfast Three Crowns, a blend, which in keeping with everything that the distillery has done to date, is also a quality product. Hotly anticipated and pretty unique to the Irish whiskey scene is a new Dunville's Three Crowns Peated.  Peated Irish whiskeys are as rare as hens teeth and I can confirm that this peated version is a fine drop and will be accumulating a loyal following before too long.

Dunville's Three Crowns new peated Irish whiskey is due on shelves this summer.

Already, the distillery in the north's second biggest spirits producer with the capacity to turn out around 15,000 bottles of the highest quality whiskey, gin, vodka and poitín every week. Shane said the new building "houses some of the finest distilling technology on the island of Ireland".

“Traceability and provenance is at the heart of our production process, with every drop of spirit produced here originating from crops grown and floor malted on our own estate. We are proud to be able to offer visitors a unique insight into our ‘field to glass’ approach during our newly launched distillery tours."

He said the Echlinville team was carefully crafting new single malt and Irish pot still whiskies, which will come of age this year. Echlinville have got things pretty right from the get-go and this is evident in everything to do with the distillery and their products.

Shane and his staff are looking forward to a very busy 2017 with some new products due to be launched later in the year. I am looking forward to seeing what other quality products flow from this lovely distillery.   The distillery is now open for guided tours so if you are planning on visiting one of the many new Irish distilleries dotted around our picturesque Irish countryside then I would advise you to pencil in Echlinville.  You will get to see and learn all about a distillery that is playing a leading part in the Irish whiskey renaissance as well as an opportunity to savor the wonderful maritime climate of the Ards peninsula and from there it is only a stones throw to the bright lights of Belfast and a chance to visit some of the city's amazing whiskey bars.

My late evening ferry awaits.

For me unfortunately it was time to leave Shane, his staff and the wonderful distillery that is Echlinville. My thoughts are for the bright long summer months ahead when a return visit is eagerly awaited.

Visit: www.echlinville.com

Each member establishment of the Kilkenny Whiskey Guild is recognised by a Guild wall plaque. 

I was delighted to be among those who had the opportunity to raise their glasses in the hallowed halls of St Mary's church - now Kilkenny's spectacular Medieval Mile Museum, as the Kilkenny Whiskey Guild was officially launched last month.

The ten member Guild features a trail of local hostelries who will be supplying the very best in Irish whiskey for the ever growing  number of visitors who enjoy the story, and of course taste, of Irish whiskey. 

And what makes Kilkenny extra special on Ireland's whiskey tourist map is that the first written record of a distillery - anywhere in the world - referred to Kilkenny. Bishop LeDrede, the man who tried to burn Dame Alice Kytler but had to make do with her servant Petronella, began the Red Book of Ossory and it noted that in 1324, distillation began.

The first written record of distillation appeared in Kilkenny in 1324

Launching the guild, best selling author and whiskey enthusiast Turtle Bunbury  took guests through the ages with his insight on the development of whiskey, and indeed Kilkenny, over the centuries. His wonderful narrative on the local history of Kilkenny city and its close correlation to its distilling history was both informative and beguiling.

The Medieval Mile Museum was a fitting and spectacular cultural location for the launch.

Back then, the Kilkenny whiskey makers could not sell their 'aqua vitae' to a stranger in case it got in to the hands of an enemy. And in those medieval times, a tumbler of whiskey early in the morning was recommended to sort out all humours (presumably bad ones), flatulence and of course it provided central heating for the day.

Author and historian Turtle Bunbury entertaining the gathered crowd of whiskey lovers.

Last night, Chairman of the Guild Eddie Langton welcomed all to the official launch, and noted the presence of many members of distilleries throughout Ireland who came to support the launch of the Kilkenny Whiskey Guild.  

Kilkenny is now one of eleven national destinations - from Bushmills in Northern Ireland, through to Dublin and the distilleries in Tullamore, Kilbeggan and just out the road at the Royal Oak and on to the Wild Atlantic Way and Dingle.

Members of the Kilkenny Whiskey Guild are Billy Byrnes, Langtons, The Wine Centre, The Dylan Whisky Bar, Matt the Millers, Lanigans, The Left Bank, The Hibernian Bar, Paris Texas and the Brewery Corner.

Tools of the trade or weapons of the Rebellion...?

Can you tell me where he gets his whiskey?

The story of Abraham Lincoln’s humorous response to criticisms of General Ulysses S. Grant’s imbibing is famous. The New York Herald reported on September 18, 1863:

“After the failure of his first experimental explorations around Vicksburg, a committee of abolition war managers waited upon the President and demanded the General’s removal, on the false charge that he was a whiskey drinker, and little better than a common drunkard. “Ah!” exclaimed Honest Old Abe, “you surprise me, gentlemen. But can you tell me where he gets his whiskey?” “We cannot, Mr President. But why do you desire to know?” “Because, if I can only find out, I will send a barrel of this wonderful whiskey to every general in the army.”

A whiskey uprising kicked-off on 55 Main Street, Midleton on Thursday evening as J.J. Coppinger's bar held ‘The Whiskey Rebellion’, in association with Irish Distillers. 

The bar stands in celebration of a hometown hero who fought in the American Civil War, General J.J. Coppinger. Located in a stately historic building, the elegant cultural bar retains its old world architecture whilst punctuating antiquated charm with streamlined style and contemporary edge.

Master cooper Ger Buckley taking some time out to sign a bottle of Jameson Coopers Croze named in his honour.

The event was a collaboration with their neighbours on Distillers Walk, the world's largest distiller of Irish whiskey and a much-celebrated home to a whiskey distillery since 1825.  Both establishments came together with a shared desire; to help tell the authentic story of Irish Whiskey, of which Midleton town plays a pivotal role.

Elusive & Iconic Range Worth Over €60,000 On Show

Eric Ryan from Midleton Distillery leads the crowd in a brief masterclass on tasting Irish whiskey

J.J.Coppinger’s stocks a growing selection of 70 whiskeys and began the night by revealing to the public a display cabinet containing a very special collection of Midleton Very Rare whiskeys, valued at approximately €60,000. The collection is one of only 6 in the world and is currently one shy of completion (a Midleton Very Rare 1988). The collection’s owner, J.J. Coppinger’s head Porter Darren Service, was inspired by the maiden name of his wife ‘Kerry Jameson’ and initially, the couple began by collecting a bottle on the birth of each of their children. The Midleton Very Rare collection is arguably one of the most exclusive whiskeys ever produced in Ireland. Only a small batch is created once a year and is bottled by hand for complete authenticity with no two years the same. Each bottle is individually numbered and bears the signature of the Master Distiller as a final guarantee of outstanding quality.

The crowd assembled were welcomed by Cork hurling legend, Tomás Mulcahy, before being introduced to Irish Distillers’ Eric Ryan, who led the tasting of Jameson Black Barrel & Redbreast Lustau.

Master Cooper Ger Buckley: Keeping the Craft Alive

Master cooper from Midleton distillery Ger Buckley providing the crowd with a show of coopering skill.

The main event of the night celebrated a barrel-making display by a living Midleton legend, 5th generation Cooper Ger Buckley whose family have been making whiskey barrels for over 200 years. The Master Cooper entertained while giving the final tasting of the night; Jameson’s Cooper’s Croze, a whiskey named after the man himself.

J.J.Coppinger’s trained whiskey bartenders served patrons with whiskey-themed cocktails as the night came to a close with live music by The Jackdaw Sessions.

€500 was raised for The Alzheimer's Society of Ireland on the night.    To view a video of the night log on here:   https://twitter.com/jjcoppingers/status/832647898638606336 

Photography by Erich Stack

I took a well overdue trip out West recently to pay a business/social visit to the new (ish) Connacht Whiskey Company based in the town of Ballina in County Roscommon.

This lovely distillery is the first new distillery built in the West of Ireland in over 100 years and is the brain child of a consortium of Irish and American business men some of whom have worked in the drinks industry for many years and bring a wealth of knowledge to the business.

The distillery is situated on the banks for the river Moy just on the outskirts of the town in what used to be an old bread factory.  As I entered the distillery on a typically damp Irish winter’s morning, the unmistakable aroma of malt that hit my senses with a welcome I can take any day!  However the real welcome came from PJ Stapleton one of the directors, marketing manager Rachel Nolan and Lindsey Harkins the retail, tour and tourism manager.

The distillery is already producing vodka, gin and poteen which are very important revenue generating spirits. This enables the company to be more self-sufficient at this stage of development. The company operates a small batch production system with whiskey distilling taking place every second week. The essential ingredient of Connacht Whiskey is malted barley and like a lot of the new distilleries, Master Distiller Rob Cassel sources as much barley as possible locally and is working with Irish farmers to produce heritage grain.

Unlike a lot of other distilleries, Connacht uses ale malt to enable them to extract more sugar, the end result which provides for a sweeter and creamier whiskey.  The nearby river Moy also plays an important part in the distilling process as all distilleries need a good supply of clean water for the end of the distillation process and the water quality can have a major influence on the process.

If Connacht’s success to date with their range of spirits is anything to go by then the company’s future is looking very healthy. Their Concullin Gin, Strawboy Vodka and Poteen have been winning awards for their quality on the national and international awards circuit.  The distillery’s current whiskey offering, the cask strength 57% abv Bushel & Spade is currently sourced from another Irish distiller while Connacht’s own whiskey stocks are maturing. This product was awarded a gold medal at this year’s Irish Whiskey Awards along with their Strawboy vodka taking the award for the Best Irish vodka.

A very interesting product I was privileged to see was the Brothership Irish-American whiskey which is making great strides in the US but not currently on sale here. It is a blend of the Spade & Bushel whiskey with an American rye, a kind of consolidation of the historical Irish-American connection.

Rachel Nolan, the distillery’s marketing manager informed me that there are other products in the pipeline some of which will be ready for launch later in 2017.  Rachel, a native of Ballina is no stranger to the world of whiskey having worked for the Jameson brand in Ireland and France for several years. Rachel informed me that the distillery is beginning to see its fair share of whiskey tourists as a unique stop off point for those undertaking the scenic Wild Atlantic Way. Tourists and visitors can undertake a full tour, browse the visitors centre and most importantly spend some time in the tasting bar where they can sample the distillery’s great products.

It really is wonderful to see the amount of time and effort not to mention industry and personal ambition required to get a distillery off the ground especially one that would be regarded as been off the beaten track.  But then again that is all part and parcel of the whiskey tourist and connoisseurs modus operandi, to visit these wonderful distilleries and enjoy the journey and spectacular scenery that Ireland has to offer while finding them!

Check our Connacht Distillery's website by clicking on the image on the left or better still pay them a visit.

Are you planning an Irish Whiskey vacation for 2017? Are you hoping to discover what makes Irish whiskey so unique among  world whiskeys? Are you also looking to see a little more of our wonderful country and learn more about our culture?  

Well then, let Tourism Ireland introduce you to some more of the many highlights and activities that you can experience while you are here.  If you still have not booked your flights then maybe the following video will help you to make up your mind!