Whiskey lovers in Dublin enjoy many of the best Northern Ireland spirits

Around 15 local producers of whiskey, other spirits and selected barrel aged beers are taking part in Whiskey Live Dublin at the RDS arena which opened to visitors yesterday and continues today.

The colourful presentation demonstrates the growing importance to the local economy, especially rural communities, of distilling. There are now more than a dozen distilleries here producing whiskey and other spirits for export to around 30 countries worldwide.

Whiskey Live is described as “Ireland’s premier whiskey tasting event”, also features masterclasses from distillers and other experts about the iconic spirit from the island of Ireland and the rest of the world including Scotland, the US and Japan.

Heading up the NI presentation is Old Bushmills, which recently announced a £37 million investment in a state-of-the-art distillery and visitor centre in the historic village. Bushmills will also be sampling two of the oldest and rarest whiskeys it has ever produced – 25 year-old and a 30 year-old single malts.

In addition, The Sexton Single Malt produced at Bushmiills from whiskey in the distillery’s vast warehouse of spirits is on show. Both Bushmills and The Sexton, the biggest Irish single malt in the US, were developed under the supervision of experienced master blender Alex Thomas.

Alex says: “We are delighted to have the opportunity provided by Whisky Live to present our two rarest whiskeys and to showcase our new visitor centre that embraces the latest technology that tells the marvellous history of our distillery and whiskeys.”

The oldest whiskey distiller at the event, Old Bushmills is now among the most internationally successful and recognised. It’s probably Northern Ireland’s biggest global brand. Now managed by Proximo of New York, a leading global marketer and wholesaler, Old Bushmills has been rejuvenated in recent years and now has an extensive portfolio of successful whiskeys.

Another important feature of the NI show are presentations from companies behind the revival of distilling in Belfast in the shape of Belfast Distillery Company, the producer of the award-winning McConnell’s Irish whisky, which is creating a distillery in A Wing at the old Crumlin Road Gaol, and Titanic Distillery which has opened in the old Pump House in Titanic Quarter. Spirits produced by both have already won international awards. The Titanic recently opened its doors to visitors.

The companies have restored distilling in the city, an industry which was lost when Dunville’s, once the biggest whiskey distiller on the island of Ireland, closed due to a tragedy within the family that owned the business in 1936. In addition to Dunville’s, owned by the Royal Irish Distilleries in Distillery Street in west Belfast, Belfast was home to several other whiskey producers. The 1899 street directory for Belfast, for instance, named 18 distilleries including Connswater, Avoneil and Cromac. At one stage, Belfast produced around 50% of Irish whiskey.

Interestingly, Dunville’s is also featuring a range of successful brands at Whiskey Live. The brand, once the best known Irish whiskey in the US before being outlawed by Prohibition, has been revived by local businessmen Shane Braniff and Jarlath Watson, owners of Echlinville Distillery at Kircubbin in Co Down. Formed in 2013, Echlinville was then only the second distillery in Northern Ireland after Bushmills.

Echlinville also produced the multi-award-winning Jawbox Gin.

The expansion of the industry throughout NI is seen in the locations of the local companies at Whiskey Live. The group includes Rademon Estate, home of Shortcross gin, whiskey and poitin, in Crossgar; Two Stacks - blenders and bonders in Newry; Killowen in Rostrevor; Boatyard in Enniskillen; Hinch in Ballynahinch; Wild Atlantic Way from Strabane; Limavady Single Barrel; Copeland in Donaghadee; and Cushendall’s Glens of Antrim, home of Lir whiskeys.

Belfast-based Drinksology, a distributor and marketer, is showing its unique Shamrock Irish Whiskey, a product blended from spirits sourced from distilleries in each of Ireland’s six counties. The whiskey was also presented to US President Joe Biden as a gift during his recent visit to Ireland.

The NI whiskeys are among spirits from around 80 distilleries from Ireland and further afield. Lining up with the Irish whiskeys are bourbon from the US, Mexican tequila and Scotch from the Hebrides.