Killowen cracks open first new Irish whiskey at Rostrevor Distillery

Killowen Distillery, based in the Mournes overlooking Rostrevor, has opened its first new make Irish whiskey.

This broad mixed mash bill whiskey turned out to be delicious, impressing everyone at the gathering who found it has a quality expected from whiskeys far beyond its years.

Master distiller and founder Brendan Carty describes it as “a full bodied heavy PX sherry bomb, with a distillate that stands up against the rich cask and still shines through, offering generous notes of maple syrup, thick Canadian bacon, clove, butter, cream and Christmas cake”.

He went on: “This cask of whiskey marks a watershed moment for Irish whiskey, a culmination of many things; hard work and drive borrowing from great historical minds such as Fionnán O’Connor, a growing interest in local produce and a self determination in Irish whiskey after many misguided decades.

“The unorthodox methods of a long drawn out production has really paid off and acknowledge our Irish whiskey past in an adventurous and contemporary manner.

“As a message to Killowen supporters and to those of the illustrious ‘Killowen Kult’: We understand that upon its release, cask 001 may be difficult to acquire due to demand,” he adds.

Cask 001 could be released between now and July, done via an online ballot system.