Dunville’s does it!

Dunville's 21 Year-Old Palo Cortado Sherry Cask Finish Cask 1197 emerged as the Best Irish Whiskey of the Year 2022 at last night's Irish Whiskey Awards.
From left: The IWA's William Lavelle with Echlinville Distillers Jarlath Watson and Greg McClelland, Irish Distillers Brand Advocacy Manager & IWA 2022 Keynote speaker Gerard Garland with Echlinville's Head of Global Sales Stephen Magennis.

From left: The IWA’s William Lavelle with Echlinville Distillers Jarlath Watson and Greg McClelland, Irish Distillers Brand Advocacy Manager & IWA 2022 Keynote speaker Gerard Garland, with Echlinville’s Head of Global Sales Stephen Magennis.

Emerging and established Irish whiskey producers and patrons were honoured at the 2022 Irish Whiskey Awards which took place at the Pearse Lyons Distillery in Dublin’s city centre. The evening commenced with a tour of the distillery and a drinks reception hosted by the Pearse Lyons Distillery co-founders and team.

Keynote speaker, Brand Engagement & Advocacy Team Manager at Irish Distillers Pernod Ricard Gerard Garland, presented the awards which are now in their ninth year and span over 19 categories.

Judging of the awards took place earlier this Summer across the country with organisers Celtic Whiskey of Celtic Whiskey Shop on Dublin’s Dawson Street hosting several blind tastings in Dublin’s Three Storey bar on Stephen’s Green while coordinating tastings throughout Ireland with members of the Celtic Whiskey Club, the Irish Whiskey Societies of Dublin and Dingle, the Cork Whiskey Society, the Waterford Whiskey Society, the Kilkenny Whiskey Guild, the Ennis Whiskey Club, the 1875 Whiskey Club, the Carlow Whiskey Society and the Belfast Whiskey Club. . All results were audited and verified by the Irish Whiskey Association’s William Lavelle.

This year’s awards also saw the return of the White Spirits and Whiskey Liqueur categories for which a selected panel of local bar staff, mixologists and industry experts blind-tasted and scored Irish Gins, Poitins, Vodkas, Cream Liqueurs, Whiskey Liqueurs and Other Irish Spirits.

“We’re delighted to celebrate the excellence and innovation in the Irish Whiskey and Spirits industry this evening, all whilst raising funds for our incredible charity partner Mary’s Meals,” said Awards orgainser Ally Alpine, Managing Director of Celtic Whiskey Shop and Organiser of Whiskey Live Dublin, commenting on the wards, “There are more than 64 million primary school-age children out of school around the world. In order to survive, they have to work or beg. Even if they do make it into the classroom, hunger affects their ability to learn. The money raised through the Irish Whiskey Awards tonight ensures that 629 children are fed for a whole school year at the Kapatamoyo school in Zambia”.

The winners of the 2022 Irish Whiskey Awards are as follows:

Overall Winner- Irish Whiskey of the Year 2022

Best Irish Whiskey of the Year – Dunville’s 21 Year-Old Palo Cortado Sherry Cask Finish Cask No 1197.

Categories

Whiskey Liqueur

Winner: Muldoon Whiskey Liqueur

Gold: The Whistler Irish Honey Whiskey

Gold: St Patrick’s Orange Whiskey Liqueur

Cream Liqueur

Winner: St Patrick’s Irish Cream Liqueur

Gold: Merrys White Chocolate Irish Cream Liqueur

Gold: Five Farms Irish Cream Liqueur

Poitin

Winner: Boann ‘New Born’ New Make Spirit

Gold: Micil Heritage Poitín

Gold: Bán Poitín

Vodka

Winner: Zesty Citrus Vodka

Gold: Istil 38 Pot Still Vanilla Vodka

Gold: Istil 38 Pot Still Vodka

Gin

Winner: Silks Irish Dry Gin

Gold: Sling Shot Gin

Gold: Method & Madness Gin

Best Other Irish Spirit

Winner: Aqua Vitae

Gold: 1848 Apple Brandy

Single Pot Still 11 and Under

Winner: Two Stacks Polorais II- Red Ice Wine Finish

Gold: Writers’ Tears Single Pot Still

Gold: Old Comber Single Pot Still

Single Pot Still 12 Year and Over

Winner: Redbreast 15 Year-Old

Gold: Powers John’s Lane 12 Year-Old

Gold: Redbreast 12 Year-Old

Single Malt 11 Years and Younger

Winner: Dunville’s 10 Year-Old PX

Gold: Croithlí, Coillín Darach Oak Series – Quercus Robur

Gold: Shortcross Peated Single Malt

Single Malt 12 – 15 Year Old

Winner: Jack Ryan Finisher’s Touch 12 Year-Old

Gold: Pearse Lyons ‘Founder’s Choice’ 12 Year-Old

Gold: The Irishman 12 Year-Old

Single Malt 16 Years & Older

Winner: Dunville’s 20 Year-Old Oloroso Sherry Cask

Gold: Fercullen 21 Year-Old

Gold: Clan Colla 20 Year-Old PX Finish 46%

Blended No Age Statement

Winner: Micil Inverin Small Batch

Gold: Foxes Bow

Gold: Michael Collins The Prediction

Blended Age Statement

Winner: Jameson 18 Year-Old

Gold: McConnell’s 5 Year-Old

Gold: Pearse Lyons ‘The Original’ 5 Year-Old

Blended Limited Release

Winner: Teeling Small Batch Collaboration – Stiggins’ Fancy Pineapple

Gold: Jameson Black Barrel Proof

Gold: Fercullen Estate Series ‘The Italian Gardens’

Single Cask 11 Years & Younger

Winner: Teeling Single Pot Still Chesnut PX Cask No 29842

Gold: The Whistler P.X. I Love You 9 Year-Old

Gold: Green Spot Greek Wine Cask

Single Cask 12 Years & Older

Winner: Dunville’s 21 Year-Old Palo Cortado Sherry Cask Finish Cask No. 1197

Gold: Powers 15 Year-Old Single Cask No. 10099

Gold: Dunville’s 20 Year-Old Temple Bar PX Sherry  Cask No. 1651

Cask Strength

Winner: Redbreast 27 Year-Old Single Pot Still

Gold: Shortcross Rye & Malt Cask Strength

Gold: St. Patrick’s Cask Strength

Single Grain

Winner: Celtic Cask Daichead a Dó (42) 2009 Anima Negra Cask

Gold: The Bridge Single Grain- Killunure Release

Gold: Egan’s Vintage Grain

New Irish Whiskey

Winner: Pearse Lyons Genesis Release

Gold: The Busker Single Pot Still

Drinks Industry Ireland was the event’s media partner as it has been for many years and key sponsors include the Irish Whiskey Association and Tuath Irish Whiskey Glass.

The majority of the award-winning whiskeys and spirits named above are available for purchase from Celtic Whiskey Shop on Dawson Street or online at www.celticwhiskeyshop.com.

Mary’s Meals feeds two million children every day whilst ensuring they attend school. Tickets for the awards were priced at €70 and all proceeds from the night will be donated to sponsor the Kapatomoyo School in Zambia.


Sign Up for Drinks Industry Ireland

Get a free weekly update on Drinks Industry trade news, direct to your inbox. Sign up now, it's free