Hinch Distillery has launched an 18 Year Old Single Malt Irish Whiskey finished in Château de La Ligne red wine casks. The new offering from the County Down-originated brand will be limited to just 650 bottles.
Distillery founder Dr Terry Cross also owns Château de La Ligne, a vineyard in Bordeaux. The Hinch 18 Year Old Single Malt has been finished in casks that previously contained Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot used in its finest wine, the Grande Reserve. These casks have been emptied and refilled with Irish Whiskey that has spent 18 years maturing in Kentucky Bourbon barrels. A further six-month finishing period in these casks has added rich new flavors of summer berries, sultanas and dark chocolate with a long and smooth finish.
Each bottle is presented in a beautiful gift box, also containing a 750ml bottle of the Château de La Ligne Grande Reserve which has played a significant role in the final Whiskey.
“Hinch whiskeys are inspired by the distilling traditions and skills exchanged over the centuries during the ebb and flow of Gaelic peoples across the Irish Sea,” noted Head Distiller at Hinch Distillery, Aaron Flaherty. “Informed by the past but looking to the future we create Irish whiskeys that are smooth yet distinctively richer and bolder in character and this exclusive Château de La Ligne influenced offering will present a deep and luscious ruby red appearance that is equally as bold in taste.
“Owners of this revered whiskey will detect scents of red summer berries, plum and apple with a delicate touch of red liquorice.
“The taste is bold, with the palate absorbing a toffee, caramel and dark cocoa undertone elevated by a backbone of sweet vanillins and freshly toasted oak. Nuanced touches of red apple, plum and summer berries clearly represent the influences of the wine finish. On the palate this whiskey delivers a multitude of differing layers of flavour all of which are individually both sumptuous and extremely moreish.
“The 18 years of initial ageing adds huge depth to the overall flavour profile of this superb whiskey. The chorus of influences brought to bear from its finishing in Château de La Ligne Grande Reserve casks elevates the already superb into becoming the absolutely sublime.”
Hinch 18 Year Old Single Malt Irish Whiskey Château de La Ligne Grande Reserve finish is available at the Hinch Distillery gift shop and all key independent off-sales for the price of £249.99 ($333 USD).
The launch of the exclusive whiskey follows on from Hinch Distillery’s recent opening, which saw the ribbon cut on not just the distillery but a new visitor destination for both domestic and incoming tourism, which will fully launch when current social restrictions are lifted. The distillery is set on the 161-year-old Killaney Estate, which lies between Belfast and Ballynahinch and represents a £15M investment from Dr Terry Cross OBE.
Back in September, Hinch Distillery announced its Irish Whiskey would be coming to the United States. The brand ramped up its global exporting activity through a new partnership with US distributor, Chopin Imports.