​Innovators drive Northern Ireland’s growing standing as an Irish whiskey hub

The Echlinville Distillery in Kircubbin, Co Down has just launched Echlinville – The Beginning, the first whiskey release from Ireland’s first single estate ‘farm to glass’ distillery.

Other highly innovative whiskeys were also unveiled by Old Bushmills in Co Antrim, the world’s oldest licensed distillery; Copeland Distillery in Donaghadee; Two Stacks in Newry, Co Down, home of the first canned whiskey; Killowen, Shortcross in Crossgar; Hinch in Ballynahinch and Mourne Dew, Warrenpoint; all five from Co Down.

Other newcomers are McConnell’s and Titanic, both in Belfast, and Outwalker in Londonderry are making a significant contribution to NI’s strengthening international standing and export earnings.

At the start of the 20th century, Belfast was the leading producer and exporter of Irish whiskey.

Echlinville Distillery, which has won widespread acclaim for reviving the historic Dunville’s and Old Comber whiskey brands from the 20 th century and developing Jawbox Gin, created the first whiskeys under its own brand.

Developed by entrepreneur Shane Braniff, Echlinville – The Beginning features two field-to-glass whiskeys distilled exclusively from barley grown, harvested and floor malted on the distillery farm.

“Every step of the production process – from mashing and fermenting the grains, to casking and maturing the spirit, to filling and labelling the bottles – has been completed on-site at the distillery,” explains Shane.

“This complete Single Estate story makes Echlinville – The Beginning unique among Irish whiskeys. Echlinville – The Beginning features a pair of exceptional seven-year-old double distilled pot still and single malt whiskeys,” he adds.

Echlinville was the first of a new generation of whiskey distillers that are now driving exports to over 30 global markets. It was only the second distillery here after the historic Bushmills, the world’s oldest licensed distillery that stretches back over 400

years.

Shane continues: “For more than a decade we have been on this journey to create whiskey that is rooted in this place we call home – the beautiful Ards Peninsula on the shores of Strangford Lough.

“Echlinville – The Beginning is a reflection of everything that is great about this small corner of Ireland - the fertile soil, temperate micro-climate, saline air and the people who crafted these whiskeys from the ground up.

“The Ards Peninsula has long been regarded as one of the finest barley growing regions in Ireland. Local farmers would have historically supplied barley to Ards Maltings, which provided premium malt to some of the country’s biggest distilleries

and breweries.

“Echlinville Whiskey has provenance, character and flavour that can be found nowhere else. This is a unique place with unique people and unique spirit, and that is at the very heart of our single malt and pot still whiskeys,” he adds.

Bushmills has continued to lead the way in new product development with the recent launch of a 23-year-old single malt matured in Madeira fortified wine oak casks from its vast store of whiskeys. This whiskey is the oldest the distillery has produced and reflects its mastery of woods used for maturing in casks. The distillery sold one million nine bottle cases last year, a record for the businesses.

Hinch Distillery in Ballynahinch has produced a series of whiskeys including the novel and award-winning Craft and Cask finished in Imperial stout barrels from Whitewater Brewery in Castlewellan.

Copeland Distillery in Donaghadee has released a 5-year-old single grain Irish whiskey – the second permanent addition to its Merchants’ Quay blended Irish whiskey range.

Aged in single-use American Bourbon barrels, and finished in Muscatel and Pedro Ximenez wine casks, the 5-year-old whiskey has been carefully curated by the distillery team.

Already home to award-winning spirits across various categories including gin and rum, whiskey has long been a priority for the distillery, signalled by its six-figure, 2019 investment in its current facility – an abandoned cinema and former community centre.

This investment kick-started the distillery’s whiskey production, and now five years on, it has not only announced the release of a new five-year single grain whiskey but is soon to release the first malt and pot-still whiskeys distilled in Donaghadee.

Gareth Irvine, founder of Copeland Distillery, says: “2024 marks a significant moment in our whiskey journey. We continue to establish pedigree and showcase our creativity and craftsmanship in blended whiskey through our Merchants’ Quay

range, and it’s particularly important we do so, as we prepare for the first release of our own pot-stills and single malts later this year.”

With whiskey the third-highest growing spirits category in the US, and over 55 million litres of Irish whiskey sold across North America in 2022, it’s vitally important that NI distilleries continue to develop their export potential by focusing on quality, innovation and brand identity.