Killowen Distillery have announced the final instalment of their Bonded International Series.
Continuing on with Killowen‘s current rye craze and after the successful launch of their penultimate Belgrove Oat Rum & Raisin last year, Killowen have finally arrived at the final release of the Bonded International Series.
Killowen Distillery’s genesis had two overlapping influences, the ethos and history exposed by author, Fionnán O’Connor, and the other the phenomenal Belgrove Distillery in Tasmania, Australia. Founded by Peter Bignell, this craft, hands on distillery in Australia was a great inspiration to Killowen’s Founder, Brendan Carty.
“Belgrove Distillery’s unorthodox methods and willingness to experiment have resulted in a most unique spirit“, states Carty. “We have released both Oat & Ryes from this wonderful distillery before, and now both of them have experienced the finish of PX Sherry Casks and our own Dark Rum Cask.”
This Irish/Tasmanian connection did not start with Brendan visiting Belgrove or Peter visiting Killowen but with Peter’s knowledge of traditional Irish whiskey mixed mashbill production methods that where not properly celebrated a decade ago, claims Carty. “These methods encompassed the broader use of Oats and Rye but even more significantly the use of malted and unmalted grains, green malt (undried malt for those of us who don’t devour whiskey books) and amazingly up to 80% unmalted grain, relying on massive starch conversion in the mash ton. If you want to hear more about other methods such as forcing green malt through an old meat mincer, smoking malt in an disused industrial tumble dryer, chip pan oil fired flame-fed stills or even for those extra special whiskeys smoked with dried sheep shit from the distillery sheep fed by spent grain in Peter’s own circular ecosystem, then I’ll invite you to do your own extra reading, the rest of this piece is about Killowen’s release.”
The Belgrove Rye, finished in Killowen Distillery’s signature Rum & Raisin finishing casks will be released at 4:40pm GMT on Thursday the 2nd of February. This expression will follow Killowen Distillery’s tried and true method of Cask Strength bottlings (60.2% ABV), with no added colour or chill filtration. Full information about the bottling and process will feature on the label. Recommended Retail Price: £84.95 GBP.
According to Carty, “The reason for celebrating another micro distillery’s spirit is because we love it. It has connections with Irish whiskey’s rich past and with its contemporary future. Most whiskeys need to be old – very, very few don’t, however, just like Killowen, Belgrove put the effort in at spirit production stage instead of relying on prolonged casking, the sacrifice is quantity but who needs quantity when our game plan, above all else is quality.”
Must have!