From field to bottle – unique whiskeys from Co Down distillery

The Echlinville Distillery in Kircubbin, County Down, has launched Echlinville – The Beginning, the first whiskey release from Ireland’s first Single Estate distillery. SAM BUTLER talked to founder Shane Braniff about what makes his production process unique.

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 outside the village of Kircubbin, overlooking picturesque Strangford Lough.

“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.

The two bottle release is limited to 750 sets in an impressive presentation box that’s available from the Echlinville Distillery and selected retailers.

Shane continues: “This is a momentous day for everyone at Echlinville as we unveil our inaugural Echlinville Single Estate Whiskey release. A whiskey that is inherent to our land. A whiskey that values provenance, community, tradition and authenticity.

“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.

“The area has a proud, but sometimes forgotten, whiskey heritage. We are delighted to have revived lost traditions, restoring malting and distilling in the Ards Peninsula to create a whiskey that once again has a true sensitivity to the place where it is made.

“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.

“This release is the culmination of a decade of hard work, passion and perseverance by a dedicated team of people, unwavering in their commitment to conceive a spirit from the ground up, rooted in locality and crafted with patience and authenticity.

“We believe in doing things the right way, not the easy way. We floor malt our barley by hand, as our whiskey forefathers would have done. We distil slowly, maximising copper contact to achieve a balance between complex character and delicate flavour.

“We dunnage mature our whiskey the traditional way on an earthen floor. This approach earned us a reputation for excellence and the respect of our friends and colleagues within the Irish whiskey family. We look forward to sharing this milestone with them,” he adds.

Patiently curated from a vatting of carefully selected seven to nine year old whiskeys distilled from barley grown, harvested, floor malted on the distillery farm.

The Echlinville Distillery began production in August 2013. Its opening by Shane and long-time business partner Jarlath Watson marked a new chapter in Northern Ireland, distilling as the first new distillery in the Province for more than 125 years.

Echlinville is home to some of Ireland’s best known heritage whiskey brands. including Dunville’s Irish Whiskey and Old Comber Whiskey. But Echlinville – The Beginning is the distillery’s first Single Estate whiskey release.

Echlinville also produces premium gin, vodka and poitín, including Weavers Spirits, Jawbox Gin, Echlinville Gin and Bán Poitín.

The distillery is located on the Echlinville Estate, which is the family home of Shane, just outside Kircubbin. It is situated on the Gransha Road – Gransha comes from the old Irish word Ghráinseach, meaning ‘granary’ – a nod to the area’s historic reputation as an area of high yield barley production. Gransha Road is also home to Glastry Farm Ice Cream, a producer of luxury desserts, including sorbets.

With classic Pot Still body and spice, Echlinville’s inaugural Pot Still release showcases the distillery character. Sweet vanilla cream soda, fresh kiwi, papaya fruits and fragrant pine notes with menthol, leading to toasted almonds, ginger and warming white pepper spice, perfectly balanced and enveloped in luxurious mouth-coating Pot Still creaminess.