Nestled among the rolling drumlins of the Ards Peninsula, Echlinville became the first new distillery in Northern Ireland for more than 125 years when it received its license and casked its first spirit on 5th August 2013. Echlinville has since established itself at the forefront of Ireland’s burgeoning spirits industry and is home to some of the country’s best-known and respected brands including Dunville’s Irish Whiskey, Jawbox Gin, Echlinville Single Estate Irish Pot Still Gin and Bán Poitín. A genuine farm distillery, all Echlinville’s new make spirit is distilled from barley grown, harvested and floor malted on their distillery farm near the shores of Strangford Lough.
Originally produced at the Royal Irish Distilleries in Belfast, Dunville’s was founded in 1808 and was among the world’s finest and best-known Irish whiskeys. Dunville’s reign was ended when the Royal Irish Distilleries fell silent in the midst of family tragedy and the political and economic turmoil of the 1930s. For almost 80 long years, the only place to buy a bottle of Dunville’s whiskey was at auction. And even that was a rare find. The Spirit of Belfast was consigned to history. Or so it seemed. In 2012 The Echlinville Distillery revived this iconic Belfast brand and is now the proud custodian of Dunville’s Irish Whiskey. It was one of Echlinville’s founding goals to bring The Spirit of Belfast back to the world. And they have done so, to international acclaim.
Co-founders Bill Dobbie and Alasdair Day first met in 2013 and formed R&B Distillers with the common goal of building Scotland’s leading artisanal distiller. Focusing on local production, provenance, quality and doing things differently. By 2015, they had identified the Isle of Raasay as providing the ingredients for the perfect dram, and planning permission to begin work revitalising the Isle of Raasay’s nineteenth century Borodale House into a state-of-the- art distillery, visitor centre, and luxury accommodation was granted in 2016. Starting with a blank sheet of paper, they set about designing a distillery to create exceptional whisky that develops elegance, complexity, and depth early on in the maturation process and a handcrafted Hebridean gin that encapsulates Raasay’s style, character and impressive geological variety.
Inspiration for the Isle of Raasay Single Malt came from some older styles of Hebridean single malts. Styles that had been lost through the ages and are not as prevalent anymore. This became the inspiration for the Isle of Raasay Distillery signature flavour profile: a lightly peated whisky, balanced with rich dark fruit flavours. The remarkable geology, island shores, our modern Scottish island distillery and unique water source about the Isle of Raasay inspired both the creation and presentation of the island’s first Scottish gin which was the first legal spirit from Raasay, an island rooted in centuries of illicit distilling. On 14th September 2017, the Isle of Raasay Distillery opened its doors and spirit was flowing. The island’s first legal distillation had finally taken place. After a night of music, fire, song and dance it was time to introduce our Hebridean spirits to the world.
Since its establishment, the Isle of Raasay Distillery has brought job opportunities to the island, worked closely with other local businesses and become embedded in the island’s tight-knit community. Part of the distillery’s ethos is to produce, mature, bottle and market every drop of spirit directly from the island. This seeks to maximise the influence of the island on the spirit, and the distillery on the island. To quote the inimitable Whisky Writer Dave Broom at our distillery opening: ‘we are not just making alcohol, we are making spirit.’ The distillery now employs more than 25 people on the island and the average age of the Raasay workforce is approximately 30 years old. An early indicator of creating inter-generational values and making sure this special island of 161 people continues to thrive.
Kinsale Spirit Company characterizes what is best about Kinsale, one of Ireland’s most vibrant and beautiful coastal towns. A working port, renowned for its food, drink and active leisure pursuits.
The company first launched multi-award winning Kinsale Gin, using various botanicals, some traditional, some foraged from the local area, 60+ batches, and many sampling sessions with friends and family later, hit on the unique recipe that is now Kinsale Gin.
Kinsale Spirit Company is now exporting its award-winning brands to the USA, Europe, Middle East, China and many other markets. It has launched a smooth and mellow multi award winning range of Irish Whiskeys, the Battle of Kinsale Series, consisting of Red Earl Irish Whiskey, Great Earl Single Grain Irish Whiskey and Spanish Earl Single Malt Irish Whiskey, along with Wild Atlantic Irish Whiskey IPA (Platinum Medal Winner at the San Francisco World Spirits Awards) and Rechar barrel finishes.
Construction of the Kinsale Distillery is well under way and will be completed by the end of 2024.
Thomond Gate Limerick Whiskey embodies the spirit of Limerick’s rich heritage and dedication to craftsmanship. Established in 2019, this independent bottler and bonder hand-selects and expertly finishes premium Irish whiskeys in distinctive casks, crafting exceptional and award-winning expressions. From sourcing whiskey from renowned distilleries to growing local barley for future releases, Thomond Gate is passionately reviving Limerick’s whiskey legacy. With numerous accolades, including international awards, the brand is making a significant impact in global markets while staying deeply connected to Limerick’s history and unique terroir.
finch® Whisky Distillery: Crafting Award-Winning Whisky in Germany
Nestled 700 meters above sea level amid pristine natural landscapes, Hans-Gerhard Fink cultivates an array of resilient cereals on his 350-hectare farm in the Swabian Alb, southern Germany. Since 1999, Fink has spearheaded one of Germany’s premier whisky distilleries, driven by a passion for fruit distillation and a commitment to showcasing the unique grains from his family farm. Operating under the ethos of “From Field to Glass,” every aspect of the whisky-making process is meticulously overseen by Fink, resulting in an exceptional product synonymous with the finch® brand.
In 2012, Fink inaugurated Germany’s largest whisky distillery, capable of producing 100,000 liters of pure alcohol annually. Later this year, the new finch® Whisky Distillery in Heroldstatt will continue this tradition while honoring artisanal practices. Presently, approximately 6,000 casks of whisky age gracefully in the distillery’s warehouses.
Combining traditional craftsmanship with modern technology and rigorous cask management, finch® Swabian Highland Whisky offers a diverse range of premium expressions, including 8, 10, and 12-year-old whiskies. Many of these have earned acclaim at renowned events like the World Whiskies Awards, with recent accolades including gold medals and category wins for their exemplary quality.
Founded in 2012 on the banks of the Eden Estuary near St Andrews, Eden Mill are distillers of a portfolio of Scottish coastal gins and premium single malt Scotch whisky. With a unique location on the University of St Andrews Eden Campus, a space dedicated to sustainable business practice and research, Eden Mill’s distillery incorporates a range of green initiatives. All electricity will be provided by the University’s solar farm and the infrastructure to capture the carbon dioxide generated during fermentation has also been installed. Additionally, all effluent waste from the whisky-making process will be collected by a Scottish biotechnology company called MiAlgae, who will use it to produce sustainable Omega-3s and reduce the reliance on wild-caught fish.
Recently relaunched in a new-look bottle, Eden Mill’s Golf Gin is the only spirit in the world to be crafted with botanicals foraged from the renowned Old Course in St Andrews. Gorse and heather line the fairways and bunkers of this iconic golf course and were gathered by Eden Mill’s distilling team, along with fragrant lavender that grows in the rooftop garden above the clubhouse. These heady florals are complemented with Scottish seaweed for a subtle saline touch.
The new visitor centre at the Eden Mill Distillery will open to the public in August 2025.
As Ireland’s oldest pub and with over a thousand years of history dating back to 900 A.D. Sean’s bar have crafted their own unique blend of grain and malt whiskey, matured over time in bourbon casks. This limited edition Irish whiskey is produced to the highest quality and with its distinctive flavor will delight the palate and warm the spirit. This whiskey is dedicated to ‘Luain’, the very first Inn Keeper at Sean’s bar who located the pub at the strategic crossing point on the Shannon river and guided traveler’s across the treacherous waters of the ancient Ford. Today the town of Athlone, or Átha Luain in Irish, takes its name from Luain.
The aroma of our whiskey is delicate with some floral hints, light malty notes and a slight sweetness. A smooth and fruity taste with flavors of pears, apples, candied fruits, caramel, exotic spices, vanilla and oak. Quite a rich and mouth-filling blend with some apparent maturity and complexity. The finish has warming spiciness that lingers as some oak returns.