Killowen launches exclusive 11-year-old single malt whiskey

Killowen Distillery in Northern Ireland has launched an exclusive 11-year-old single malt finished in a port cask originating from Northern Douro for Belfast Whiskey Week (23-31st July).   

The small batch distillery is located near Rostrevor in the Mourne Mountains. The new whiskey is part of the distillery’s pioneering Bonded Exclusive Series.

The cask itself was rich with grape residue from a previous lifetime and wood stained heavily by a rich port, even after thorough rinsing. It is 227 litre cask that was only filled to about two thirds its volume, after sampling and a healthy allocation to last year’s Whiskey Week, the yield only amounts to 301 bottles at ABV 54.3%.   

Brendan Carty, Killowen’s founding managing director, explains: “Eighteen months resting in this cask has seen a few different versions come to the fore. During Belfast Whiskey Week 2020, for instance, the Killowen box offered an interim view at this cask, at this time, the whiskey itself tasted like a generous mouthful of skittles, while still beautiful, it created a fear that the cask would become overpowered by these fruity notes.

“Thankfully the drier spicy notes offered by the European wood have instead, balanced the overall palette and the richness of the cask residue, has provided even more body. This is an expression of Irish single malt that does not yet exist, if the right whiskey producers made more of this, we would buy as much as possible just for drinking,” he adds.

The new whiskey is available from Irish Malts online for  £124.95 and €144.95. It is intended for Belfast Whiskey Week ticket holders.

The whiskey is described as “a loving rush of red glace cherries, normally used for baking along with a healthy dose of almond paste”. “Almost like a cherry bakewell but without the pastry. There are also distinctive notes of vanilla essence and surprisingly floral geranium plant.”