Trio Of Irish Whiskeys Finished In Craft Beer Casks Debuts

Hinch Distillery out of Northern Ireland recently launched a trio of Irish whiskeys finished in craft beer casks.

The collection, Craft & Casks, includes the Imperial Stout Finish, Irish Red Rye Finish and Rye Export Stout Finish. The collaboration features casks from two Irish breweries; Whitewater Brewery in County Down and Kinnegar Brewery in County Donegal. Each of the three aged whiskeys have their own distinct flavors.

The Imperial Stout Finish is sourced from County Down, which sits in the shadows of the Mourne Mountains. Its Kreme de la Kremlin Imperial Stout brings orchard fruits and butter toffee tastes to the whiskey in what the distillery describes as a “luxurious mouthfeel of light toffee, coffee, vanilla sweetness and cinnamon spice follows.”

The Irish Red Rye Finish and Rye Export Stout Finish are finished in Kinnegar Brewery beer casks, which impart tastes of sweet toffee, bitter cocoa and a hint of red apple and orange zest citrus derived from the Red Rye casks while the Export Stout Finish flaunts aromas of dark treacle, caramel and vanilla.

The launch of Craft & Casks broadens the portfolio of Hinch Distillery, which now boasts a collection of nine whiskeys, and follows the release of the distillery’s 18-year-old single malt finished in Château de la Ligne Grand Reserve wine casks.

“The union of whiskey with craft beer barrels is an emerging trend within the distilling industry and demand is surging,” said Aaron Flaherty, Hinch head distiller, in a prepared statement. “While Hinch is a relatively new name to the drinks’ fraternity, we have quickly risen to a par with the best around, beckoning prestigious awards in our two years of operation. We are a recognized player in the whiskey scene globally and we always strive to be innovative in the whiskeys we create while paying attention to current trends in the category.”

Hinch Distillery now turns its attention to the opening of its visitors center, which includes a brasserie bar and restaurant, outside courtyard space, and multi-purpose events space at its 30,000-square-foot site on Killaney Estate located between Belfast and Ballynahinch.