New Irish whiskey casks prove market success

Echlinville Distillery's decision to offer enthusiasts and collectors an opportunity to purchase casks from the first distillation of the first new Irish whiskey in over 125 years is proving an outstanding success.

The distillery, the first licensed in Northern Ireland since Old Bushmills in county Antrim, launched its 'Patron's Promise' cask offer of a single malt and pot still whiskey products last year and has been 'overwhelmed' by the interest particularly from Britain and the US, according to founder Shane Braniff.

Echlinville offered fans the opportunity to have the whiskey crafted, matured and finished to their specific requirements.

Braniff, who also owns established Irish whiskey brands such as Feckin and Dunville VR, says: "Patrons have an array of options from whiskey style, cask size, age and finish through to individual bottling and labelling design. They are able to choose either an Irish pot still or single malt style, and to age whiskey in a variety of barrel types.

"Once matured for a minimum of five years, customers can further choose to finish their whiskey to their preferred taste, in a range of speciality casks, including Pedro Xmenez and Oloroso, and bottle with their private commission label."

Echlinville Distillery is the only distillery in Ireland to grow and floor malt its own barley.

"This offers a degree of provenance unrivalled by any other distillery. Our barley is grown in the fields surrounding the distillery and we are honoured to have revived the age-old tradition of distillery floor malting to produce a whiskey that is genuinely artisanal, exceptional in quality, 'true of character'.

"We appreciate the importance or 'Terroir'. We have worked this land through generations of our families. The Ards Peninsula is our home, we know its unique topography, its rich soil, its saline air, and its temperate climate. We cherish its rugged beauty and splendid isolation. This inherent understanding, this sensitivity to place, empowers us to produce a whiskey unique in character, splendid in flavour, 'true of place'.

This bespoke limited edition cask offer, known as 'The Patrons Promise' and each patron will have their name forever inscribed on our commemorative 'Patrons Wall'.