Redbreast 21 Year-Old awarded top accolades at this year’s Irish Whiskey Awards
Redbreast 21 Year-Old Whiskey has been named the Irish Whiskey of the Year at the Irish Whiskey Awards for the second year running. The whiskey, which is distilled in Midleton, Co Cork, was awarded the Glencairn Trophy at the ceremony, which took place in the Teeling Distillery, Newmarket, Dublin 8 this evening (15th October 2015). The label was also the trophy winner in the Irish Single Pot Still Whiskey category for the second year in a row.
The Irish Whiskey Awards, which are in their third year, recognise the excellence and innovation from indigenous producers and distillers. The awards spanned a total of 20 categories, including two new categories for Irish Gin and Irish Vodka, which were won by Thin Gin and Dingle Vodka respectively.
The Irish Single Malt Whiskey (12 Years & Younger) category was won by Connemara Single Malt and Knappogue Castle Vintage 2000 Batch 2 Mongeard Mugneret Burgundy Cask took home the trophy in the Irish Single Malt Whiskey (13 Years and Older) category.
Tullamore Dew 12 Year-Old got the nod for best Irish Blended Whiskey (RRP of less than €60) with Midleton Very Rare 2015 receiving the top accolade for the Irish Blended Whiskey (RRP of €60 or more). Dick Mack’s in Dingle, Co Kerry received the Glencairn Trophy for Irish Whiskey Bar of the Year while Whisky and Alement in Melbourne, Australia was named the International Irish Whiskey Bar of the Year.
Ally Alpine, Managing Director of Celtic Whiskey Shop and the Irish Whiskey Awards, said: “The Irish Whiskey Awards were started almost at the same time as the explosion in interest in Irish whiskey and craft distilling, and each year shows the leap in both entry numbers and the quality of the liquid. We hope this journey continues for many years.”
Special guest John Teeling was also in attendance on the night and said: “With the renaissance in Irish whiskey gathering pace it’s important now more than ever to recognise the top quality whiskey being distilled here in Ireland. This year’s Irish Whiskey Awards have applauded the excellence of home-grown producers and distillers and I want to congratulate them all on their well deserved achievement.”
This year the judging was in the form of a blind tasting of all the entries, which took place at Brooks Hotel Drury Street, Dublin 2 on September 12th and 13th. Up to 160 members of the Celtic Whiskey Club and Irish Whiskey Society were invited to register and further samples were sent to 40 members located oversees. All voting was anonymous and the final scores will be made available to the industry after the awards. Each of the category winners were awarded a trophy and the runners up received a Gold Medal that can be prominently displayed on their whiskey at point of sale. Full list of award winners following.
The winners of the Irish Whiskey Awards will be celebrated at Whiskey Live when it returns to Dublin for the fifth time on Saturday 24 October in its new city centre location of The Printworks at Dublin Castle, Dublin 2. The move to this new location has allowed the event to grow to accommodate up to 1,200 visitors over two sessions 1.30-5.00pm and 6.00-9.30pm. Tickets are limited and available from www.whiskeylivedublin.com.
The 2015 Irish Whiskey Awards winners in full:
Irish Whiskey of the Year (Overall winner)
Glencairn Trophy Winner – Redbreast 21 Year-Old
Irish Single Pot Still Whiskey
Trophy Winner – Redbreast 21 Year Old
Gold Medal – Midleton Barry Crockett Legacy
Gold Medal – Powers Signature Release
Irish Single Malt Whiskey (12 Years & Younger)
Trophy Winner Connemara Single Malt
Gold Medal – Teeling Single Malt
Gold Medal – Tullamore Dew 10 Year Old Single Malt
Irish Single Malt Whiskey (13 Years & Older)
Trophy Winner – Knappogue Castle Vintage 2000 Batch 2 Mongeard Mugneret Burgundy Cask
Gold Medal – The Palace Bar Three Generations Batch 14 Year-Old
Gold Medal – Glendalough 13 Year Old Single Malt
Irish Blended Whiskey (RRP of less than €60)
Trophy Winner – Tullamore Dew 12 Year Old
Gold Medal – Writers Tears Copper Pot
Gold Medal – Jameson Select Reserve Black Barrel
Irish Blended Whiskey (RRP of €60 or more)
Trophy Winner – Midleton Very Rare 2015
Gold Medal – Jameson Gold Reserve
Gold Medal – Jameson 18 Year Old Limited Reserve
Irish Single Cask Whiskey
Trophy Winner – An Púcán Teeling Whiskey Single Malt
Gold Medal – Celtic Cask Trí Déag
Gold Medal – Celtic Cask Dó Dhéag
Irish Cask Strength Whiskey
Trophy Winner – Tullamore Dew Phoenix
Gold Medal – Midleton Dair Ghaelach
Gold Medal – Redbreast 12 Year Old Cask Strength
Irish Single Grain Whiskey
Trophy Winner – Kilbeggan Single Grain
Gold Medal – Glendalough Single Grain
Gold Medal – Teeling Single Grain
Irish Whiskey Bar of the Year (Overall Winner)
Glencairn Trophy – Dick Mack’s, Dingle
Irish Whiskey Bar of the Year (Leinster)
Trophy Winner – The Dingle Whiskey Bar
Gold Medal – The Whiskey Palace
Gold Medal – L Mulligans Grocer
Irish Whiskey Bar of the Year (Munster)
Trophy Winner – Dick Mack’s, Dingle
Gold Medal – The Shelbourne Bar, Cork
Gold Medal – The Folkhouse, Kinsale
Irish Whiskey Bar of the Year (Connaught)
Trophy Winner – Garavan’s Bar, Galway
Gold Medal – An Púcán, Galway
Gold Medal – Tigh Neachtain’s, Galway
Irish Whiskey Bar of the Year (Ulster)
Trophy Winner – The Duke of York, Belfast
Gold Medal – Bittles Bar, Belfast
Gold Medal – McCuaig’s bar, Rathlin Island
Irish Whiskey Bar of the Year (International)
Trophy Winner – Whisky and Alement, Melbourne, Australia
Gold Medal – The Shebeen/Irish Heather – Vancouver, BC, Canada
Gold Medal – Scholars Bar, Rome
Irish Poitin
Trophy Winner – Teeling Poitin
Gold Medal – Bán Poitin
Irish Liqueur
Trophy Winner – Mrs Doyle’s Irish Cream
Gold Medal – Coole Swan
Gold Medal – The Wild Geese Irish Honey Liqueur
Irish Gin
Trophy Winner – Thin Gin
Gold Medal – Blackwater No 5
Gold Medal – Dingle Gin
Irish Vodka
Trophy Winner – Dingle Vodka
Gold Medal – Untamed Irish Vodka
Gold Medal – St Patrick’s Distillery Vodka
Irish Whiskey Barrel Aged Irish Craft Beer
Trophy Winner – O’Hara’s Barrel Aged Series
Gold Medal – Independent Whiskey Stout
Gold Medal – Franciscan Well Jameson Stout