Whiskey business

Antrim and Down on the up

WITH less than a month to go, no apologies for mentioning one C-word - Christmas, of course - and also another: Counties.

‘Buy local’ is always admirable advice, but especially nowadays; you can help save the planet and save money yourselves. You might even be able to walk to your nearest distillery. You could certainly save on postage costs.

There’s at least one distillery in the majority of Irish counties now, and if not then there’s sure to be one not far away over your county border.

Even if whiskey isn’t to your taste, many distilleries also produce their own gins or vodkas, and also merchandising. There are tours available too, and gift vouchers. The wealthier among you may wish to consider investing in a cask.

In Ulster, Antrim and Down are very well-served, unsurprisingly as they’re two fairly populous counties.

Everyone knows about Bushmills and you really can’t go wrong with their range of products, at prices to suit all pockets, even half-bottles for some.

Belfast had an extensive-history of whiskey-making and the multiple award-winning Echlinville Distillery near Kircubbin combines both counties’ traditions, based on the Ards peninsula but bringing back the Dunville’s brand name, as well as Comber.

Belfast Distillery Company has ambitious plans for its distillery, spending more than £22m at the former Crumlin Road Gaol, and already has the excellent McConnell’s 5-year-old (bourbon cask) and a sherry cask finished variant.

Titanic Distillers has a name which will attract worldwide attention, and visitors to its location at the Thompson Dock and Pumphouse near where that ill-fated ship was built. Its whiskey may well have something for all tastes – peat and sherry.

Venturing north, near picturesque Cushendall, the Glens of Antrim Distillery have their Lir range, in Green, Red, and Black Crest versions.

From Belfast you could head east first to R & R Distillery, out towards Comber, with its Backyard range (whiskey and vodka), then north-east to Copeland in Donaghadee, which, fittingly for its setting, has rums as well as gins – and lovely Bordeaux cask Merchants’ Quay whiskeys; head on then to Echlinville.

Going south from Belfast, you have the Hinch Distillery, its visitor centre easily accessed on the Carryduff Road, showcasing its excellent range.

Harder to find but very much worth the trips are two more in county Down: first Rademon, near Crossgar, making highly-rated Shortcross gins and whiskeys, including an innovative rye and malt version.

Killowen is a small-scale operation in the heart of the Mourne mountains, but one with a massive reputation; and its own Kult. Its products, such as a Rum & Raisin finish, are hard to get hold off but have earned rave reviews.

Those two also produce poitin – but that’s another article for another day.

Next time: the rest of Ulster.