Origin: Sligo (Ireland)
Type: Single Malt Irish Whiskey
Strength: 48%ABV
Ageing casks: Ex-Bourbon, ex-Sherry Oloroso and ex-Pedro Ximénez
Chillfiltered: No
Added coloring: No
Owner: Lough Gill Distillery
Average price: € 145.00
Official website: www.athru.com
Vote: 90/100
Located in County Sligo near the town of the same name, Lough Gill Distillery is in an enviable position next to the lake of the same name, just behind Hazelwood House, a Palladian-style 17th century villa that has unfortunately been abandoned for some time and is due to be restored and refurbished.
Built from a nylon factory (owned by Italians) and constructed by Italian hands, the distillery began operations as recently as 2019, with a production capacity of one million litres that they plan to triple with the construction of a second plant, which will also offer a visitor centre, restaurants, museum and other attractions.
The aim is to make ultra-premium whiskey, currently maturing in ex-Bourbon casks.
But with the start of the project in 2015, the owners had already planned an initial promotional launch to coincide with the opening of the facilities: Billy Walker (renowned master distiller, who later re-founded GlenAllachie) chose for them casks of Irish whiskey (the provenance of which is unknown) that had already been aged to be poured into other casks, to present different finishes over the following four years of maturation.
And so the First Editions are born, three annual releases that aim to present the spirit in which the distillery will make its whiskey, each linked to the rich history and mythology of medieval Ireland as recounted in the Annals of the Four Masters.
Each bottling is limited to 6,600 numbered examples, and the first series (called The Creation Trilogy, dedicated to the creation of Ireland) released in 2019 includes the present Annacoona, Knocknarea and Keshcorran.
These are luxurious editions, encased in a hardboard case with a magnetic closure reminiscent of a first edition book, each telling the story and myth associated with the individual bottling.
If you want to admire the Annacoona packaging in all its detail, I refer you to our Instagram account.
I would like to thank Brian Raethorne for the samples of the three bottlings and for this magnificent bottle.
Tasting notes
Gold in the glass.
The nose is very elegant and waxy, with notes of figs, sour cherries, sultanas, prunes, hazelnuts, cinnamon and marzipan. Background of old wood. It gradually becomes warmer and more harmonious, lush without ever becoming cloying, bringing out impressions of orange, liquorice and dark chocolate.
And it’s liquorice and chocolate that immediately emerge on the palate, with warm, spicy notes accompanying them, resting on the soft support of ripe fruit. Vanilla cream and caramel join the aromas, all wrapped in wax and wood. Orange juice and tropical fruit impression in the background.
Finish quite long and dry, waxy, of orange, hazelnut, chocolate.
If this is their calling card, waiting for their whiskies to mature is going to be tough!
Walker’s hand is evident, and as these are purely representative bottles it isn’t certain that they will fully reflect the future of the distillery, but if the intention was to express the sense of elegance and sumptuousness they intend to seek, well…. they have succeeded!
Quoting an acquaintance of mine, it’s often the case that behind very rich packaging there are whiskies of little substance: I’m glad that this time it was different.
Reviews of Lough Gill whiskey in the blog:
Athrú Keshcorran 14yo
Athrú Knocknarea 14yo