Ireland’s best whiskey is a unique single malt distilled in Kircubbin, Co Down. And
the best new single malt whiskey is also distilled in the same county, according to
the influential Irish Whiskey Awards 2025.
The top award, Irish Whiskey of the Year, was won by Echlinville Distillery in
Kircubbin for its Dunville’s 21-year-old Palo Cortado. Echlinville is a single estate
distillery, one of a select group in Ireland that crafts premium whiskey, gin, vodka
and poitin from barley grown, harvested and malted on the surrounding family farm.
The Overall New Irish Whiskey went to Hinch Distillery In Ballynahinch for its
Warehouse Exclusive finished Virgin American Oak cask.
Both category winners are Food NI winners, as are many of those gaining medals in
the awards.
In addition to the outstanding successes of Echlinville and Hinch, Northern Ireland
distilleries and blenders helped to ensure that local distilleries dominated the all-
Ireland awards.
Other local winners which are FoodNI members are: Shortcross, Crossgar;
Copeland, Donaghadee; Lir/Glens of Antrim, Cushendall, and Two Stacks in Newry,
the latter a specialist in blending and bonding whiskeys. Two Stacks also achieved a
world’s first by creating the first ‘Dram in a Can’.
The awards, which were held at Teeling Distillery in Dublin at the start of the month,
showcased the strength of innovation driving Irish whiskey especially from Northern
Ireland distilleries and blenders and their achievements in the global marketplace.
Dunville’s Palo Cortado single malt Irish whiskey range, the overall winner for the
second year in succession, from Echlinville has been a perennial winner in
international spirit competitions over many years.
Founded by Belfast entrepreneurs Shane Braniff and Jarlath Watson, Echlinville’s
signature brand, Dunville’s, is now one of Ireland’s most successful in the US and
elsewhere.
The state-of-the-art distillery was founded in 2013 and was the first launched in
Northern Ireland in over a century. As well as a range of single malt and blended
whiskeys under the Dunville’s brand, Echlinville also produces its own Echlinville
whiskey, as well as Old Comber and Feckin’ whiskeys with other spirits such as
Jawbox Gin.
Echlinville, in addition, scored multiple category wins, making it the night’s most
successful. The distillery, in fact, secured an impressive total of 11 major awards
across various categories, cementing its position at the forefront of Irish whiskey
Other wins included:
o Best Irish Single Malt (16 years & older) – for the Dunville’s 21-year-Old
Palo Cortado Sherry Cask Finish Single Malt;
o Best Irish Single Cask (12-years & older) – for the Dunville’s 23-year-
old Palo Cortado Sherry Cask Finish cask 1205; and
o Best Cask Strength Bottling – for Dunville’s 22-year-old PX Sherry Cask
1643.
Eclinville’s Jarlath Watson said: “We are delighted to have won the top award again.
These achievements showcase our Dunville’s as the top Irish whiskey brand.”
Dunville’s began life as the whiskey brand of Dunville & Co., a Belfast tea, soap, and
spirits merchant that moved into whiskey blending in the early 19th century. As
demand for its whiskeys grew, the company built the Royal Irish Distilleries on
Belfast’s Grosvenor Road in the late 1800s, at the time one of the largest and most
modern distilleries in Ireland. At its peak, Dunville’s exported Irish whiskey worldwide
and was a market leader in the US, still the biggest market for Irish whiskey.
Despite its success, the distillery didn’t survive the combined pressures of the US
Prohibition ban on alcohol (1920-33), the Great Depression (1929-39), and the long
decline of Irish whiskey. The Royal Irish subsequently closed in the 1930s, and the
Dunville’s name disappeared from shelves for decades. The brand was revived by
Shane Braniff for the Echlinville Distillery in 2013.
Over the last decade, Echlinville Distillery has emerged as a powerhouse craft
whiskey producer, earning plaudits for its innovation and the outstanding quality of its
single malt whiskeys in particular. The distillery also revived the historic Old Comber
brand that had closed in 1853.
A total of 20 awards were given out – the 12th year of the challenge – to the top Irish
whiskeys.
Among other outstanding successes was Hinch Distillery.
Terry Cross, Hinch founder and chairman, said: “We’re absolutely thrilled that our
spirits took home not one, not two, but five major awards, including New Irish
Whiskey of the Year for our Warehouse Exclusive selected by William Stafford, our
distillery manager.”
Hinch’s awards were:
Gold for Blended Irish Whiskey (Age Statement) – 5-year-old double wood;
Gold – New Irish Whiskey – Warehouse 3 Exclusive – Paez Morilla Sherry;
Gold – Irish Cask Strength Warehouse 3 Exclusive – Rioja;
Gold – Irish single cask whiskey (12-years and older) – Hinch 23-year-old exclusive
for Waterford Whiskey Society;
Overall Winner –New Irish Whiskey – Warehouse Exclusive – Virgin American Oak
Other local winners included:
Bushmills of Co Antrim, Ireland’s oldest whiskey distillery, was awarded medals for
its single malts, Black Bush premium blend and its Causeway Collection, and
Killowen, Rostrevor for its Irish cream liqueur.
Image: Jarlath Watson from Echlinville: Shane Braniff and Jarlath Watson revived the historic Dunville’s
premium Irish Whiskey brand and turned it into a multi-award-winning and export-leading spirit
