Northern Irish Dunville VR Whiskey wins top global award
Dunville VR, the historic Irish whiskey recently rejuvenated by Echlinville Distillery in Northern Ireland, has been chosen as the Best Irish Single Malt 12 years and Under 2015.
The whiskey, once a market leader particularly in the US, gained the recognition in the prestigious World Whiskies Awards 2015.
The expert judges described Dunville VR as having "fresh green apples on the nose, with some green grass and tropical chews. Softer and sweeter on the palate, with bubblegum, apple Jolly Ranchers and some spiced custard".
The whiskey, re-launched earlier this year after over 80 years out of production, also had "complex citrus notes with a little confected sweetness. Sweet tropical fruit up front. Winey finish like a dry Riesling, leading to integrated wood". Production ceased in the 1930s when the distillery producing it closed in 1936.
Echlinville Distillery, based at on a family estate at Kircubbin in county Down, is Northern Ireland's second licensed distillery. It was established by successful local entrepreneur and whiskey enthusiast Shane Braniff in 2012. He had previously set up Feckin' Irish Whiskey.
Commenting on the award, Mr Braniff says: "We are delighted to have won this important award. It's the first time we entered the awards. The success will be immensely important as we seek to grow sales of Dunville VR. It re-establishes the pedigree of this historic whiskey."
The World Whiskies Awards are part of the prestigious World Drinks Awards programme, launched in 2007 with the World Whiskies Awards and World Beer Awards. Presented by TheDrinksReport.com, the world's No. 1 online resource for drinks professionals, The World Whiskies Awards select, reward and promote the best whisky taste and design to consumers and trade across the globe.
The awards are open to distillers, bottlers, producers, agents, designers, design agents, packaging agencies, brand agencies, importers, wholesalers and retailers of any whisky from anywhere in the world. With entrance facilities in Europe, the US and Asia, the World Whiskies Awards provides a truly international service to entrants.
The taste categories are based upon the commonly held whisky groupings which define both the style and process of whisky production.