Killowen Distillery celebrates Dalriadan whiskey heritage

Killowen Distillery, a small batch producer of whiskey, gin and rum in Northern Ireland, has launched the new Dalriadan Blended Malt Whiskey in celebration of the great tradition of whiskey distilling around north Antrim.

The Dalriadan from Killowen, which is based in the Mourne Mountains near Rostrevor in County Down, is 40% percent double distilled peated malt from Caol lla Distillery aged in ex-Bourbon Hogg’s head butts and 60 percent 11-year-old malt from county Antrim and finished for three years in Oloroso butts.

Brendan Carty, Killowen’s master distiller, explains; “Whiskey lovers have always pondered which nation created whiskey. In truth, whiskey evolved long before our fixed ideals of nation and kingdoms. Nowhere is this fluidity of place acknowledged more, than the lands surrounding the sea of Moyle in north Antrim. Predating whiskey's foundations, there was once an ancient kingdom known as Dalriata, a kingdom long since disappeared yet the fluidity of her people remains just as dynamic to this day. This whiskey is a celebration of different, but heavily related whiskey traditions and when merged, a beautiful fusion is created. Both whiskeys originate safely within the boundaries of what was once, a vibrant sea-faring nation,” he adds.

Killowen, he continues, “thoroughly enjoy bonding and blending, it's as much of a learning experience for us as it is the consumers, as usual we make the drinks we want to taste, and thankfully fellow consumers have the same point of view”.

The new whiskey is released on Friday and will be available online from Irish Malts, Anzac Wholesale, Umbrella Project and KWM Wines and from some retail stores.