From field to bottle – unique whiskeys from Co Down distillery

18th June 2024

Article copyright: A Farming Life article 'From field to bottle – unique whiskeys from Co Down distillery', by Sam Butler and Steven Moore, 13 June 2024

Echlinville Distillery in Kircubbin, within Ards and North Down, in County Down, has won widespread acclaim for reviving the historic Dunvilles whiskey brand and developing Jawbox Gin, has created the first whiskeys under its own brand, launching Echlinville – The Beginning, the first whiskey release from the island of 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.

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