Garavan’s: Whiskey Bar of Year
The distillery also received a Gold Medal for its Teeling Brabazon Bottling Series 2 in the Irish Single Malt Whiskey (12 Years & Younger) category.
The Awards were held in the Jameson Distillery Bow Street last night and Awards promoter the Celtic Whiskey Shop’s Ally Alpine explained that the awards had involved 67 blind-tastings by tasters from all over the world, “24 of whom are at the awards tonight”.
After four consecutive years of being named Connaught Whiskey Bar of the Year, Garavan’s in Galway finally won the overall ‘Irish Whiskey Bar of the Year’ award.
The evening – with all advance tickets purchased purely by members of the trade – was addressed by Bernard Walsh, Founder and Chief Executive of the Walsh Distillery in Royal Oak, County Carlow, who talked of a “second Golden Age for Irish Whiskey”.
But the former Chairman of the Irish Whiskey Association also pointed to the pitfalls: “Irish whiskey is one of the most regulated products in Ireland and one of the most regulated whiskeys in the world,” he warned, giving no uncertain nod in the direction of the forthcoming Public Health (Alcohol) Bill’s proposed restrictions on alcohol marketing.
Nevertheless, he found the cross-industry support to be found in spirits distilling to be simply unique, “… unheard of elsewhere”.
The awards, now in their fifth year, have become an important date in the whiskey industry’s calendar, commented Ally Alpine.
“Unlike most international awards this is a non-profit-making operation that relies on the support & generosity of the producers, my staff and whiskey enthusiasts,” he stated, “The event will also raise enough money to feed 330 kids every day for a year which is an added bonus.”
The event’s charity partner is Mary’s Meals which feeds over 1.2 million children a day and recently fed its one billionth child. The cost of one ticket, at €46.80, will feed three children for a year and the proceeds raised from last night’s event will feed 330 children for a full year whilst they’re attending school, he explained.
Drinks Industry Ireland was the event’s media partner.
The Irish Whiskey Award 2017 winners:
Overall Awards
Irish Whiskey of the Year: Teeling The Revival Single Malt Volume IV
Irish Whiskey Bar of the Year (Overall Winner): Garavan’s, Galway
Categories
Irish Single Pot Still Whiskey: Powers John’s Lane
Irish Single Malt Whiskey (12 Years & Younger): Tyrconnell Madeira Finish 10 Year-Old
Single Malt Whiskey (13 Years & Older): Teeling The Revival Single Malt Volume IV
Irish Blended Whiskey (RRP of less than €60): Jameson Black Barrel
Irish Blended Whiskey (RRP of €60 or more): Jameson Makers Series – The Cooper’s Croze
Irish Single Cask Whiskey: Cill Airne Cask PX Finish
Irish Cask Strength Whiskey: Tullamore D.E.W. Phoenix
Irish Single Grain Whiskey: Glendalough Triple Barrel
Irish Vodka: Dingle Vodka
Irish Gin: Dingle Gin
Irish Poitin: Bán Poitin
Irish Liqueur: Merry’s Salted Caramel
Irish Whiskey Barrel Aged Irish Craft Beer: Dot Brew Cab Sauv (Session)
Gold Medal Winners 2017
Irish Whiskey Bar of the Year (Munster):
- Gold Medal: Dick Mack’s, Dingle
Irish Whiskey Bar of the Year (Leinster):
- Gold Medal: Bowe’s, Dublin
Irish Whiskey Bar of the Year (Connaught):
- Gold Medal: Sonny Molloys, Galway
Irish Whiskey Bar of the Year (Ulster):
- Gold Medal: McCauls, Cavan
Irish Whiskey Bar of the Year (International):
- Winner: Seamus O’Dowden’s Irish Pub & Shebeen (Vermont USA)
- Gold Medal: The Dead Rabbit, New York
Irish Single Pot Still Whiskey:
- Gold Medal: Midelton Dair Ghaelach Bluebell Forest
- Gold Medal: Powers 1817 Release
Irish Single Malt Whiskey (12 Years & Younger):
- Gold Medal: Teeling Brabazon Bottling Series 2
- Gold Medal: The Whistler Single Malt Aged 7 Years
Single Malt Whiskey (13 Years & Older):
- Gold Medal: The Irishman 17 Year-Old
- Gold Medal: Tyrconnell 16 Year-Old
Irish Blended Whiskey (RRP of less than €60):
- Gold Medal: The Irishman Founder’s Reserve
- Gold Medal: Slane Irish Whiskey
Irish Blended Whiskey (RRP of €60 or more):
- Gold Medal: Jameson Makers Series – The Blender’s Dog
- Gold Medal: JJ Corry ‘The Gael’
Irish Single Cask Whiskey:
- Gold Medal: The Irishman Founder’s Reserve Marsala Finish
- Gold Medal: Cill Airne Cask Oloroso Finish
Irish Cask Strength Whiskey:
- Gold Medal: The Whistler Single Malt 7 Year Old Cask Strength
- Gold Medal: Writer’s Tears Cask Strength 2017
Irish Single Grain Whiskey:
- Gold Medal: Method and Madness Single Grain
- Gold Medal: Glendalough Double Barrel
Irish Vodka:
- Gold Medal: Straw Boys Vodka
- Gold Medal: Woulfe’s Irish Vodka
Irish Poitin:
- Gold Medal: Straw Boys Poitín
- Gold Medal: Mad March Hare Poitín
Irish Liqueur:
- Gold Medal: Merry’s Toffee Buttermint
- Gold Medal: Merry’s Pumpkin Spice
Irish Gin:
- Gold Medal: Brennan’s Old House Irish Gin
- Gold Medal: Thin Gin
Irish Whiskey Barrel-Aged Irish Craft Beer:
- Gold Medal: Boyne Brewhouse Imperial Stout 10.8%
- Gold Medal: Dot Brew Cab Sauv Grain Rye (Session)