Dingle

The Dingle Distillery produces both Single Pot Still and Single Malt Whiskey under one roof using the traditional triple distillation method. Initially produced exclusively in small batches, a Single Malt was developed for the core range for the first time in 2021 - a milestone in the still young history of the distillery.

Dingle is particularly well-known for its limited editions in the ‘Wheel of the Year’ series. This eight-part series follows the Celtic cycle of the year, a solar calendar with stations such as the solstices, equinoxes and the Celtic festivals of Samhain (winter), Bride (spring), Bealtaine (summer) and Lunasa (autumn). The ninth and final part of the series is a special Whiskey for the local festival ‘Wren's Day’ (La an Dreoilín), which is not part of the Celtic calendar but is deeply rooted in Dingle's culture. The range includes both Single Malt and Single Pot Still Whiskeys.

The distillery's trademark, the ‘Wren Boy’, adorns the labels and corks. It refers to the traditional Wren Day Festival on 26 December, when children draped in straw parade through the streets collecting donations for charity - a symbol of the distillery's deep roots in its homeland.

In addition to Whiskey, the Dingle Distillery also produces a multi-award-winning Irish Pot Still Gin, which impresses with its unique, regional character. The recipe includes a variety of local botanicals, including juniper, rowan berries, fuchsia, bog myrtle, angelica root, chervil, heather and hawthorn - all wild plants from the Dingle Peninsula.

The flavouring takes place in two stages: First, the botanicals macerate in neutral alcohol for 24 hours before being distilled - optionally with a flavour basket for particularly complex nuances. Originally, Dingle Gin was produced on a small pot still with a swan neck. However, the great success of the Gin led to a switch to a larger still in 2018. To preserve the unique character, the proportions were retained - including an extra-long swan neck, which ensures a fine flavour expression.

After distillation at around 70% alcohol, the gin is reduced to 42.5% strength by volume using spring water from the company's own 70 metre deep well. The result: an expressive Gin full of character that makes the rugged terroir of Ireland tangible in every bottle.

The water used to make the Whiskey comes from the distillery's own well below the distillery and is drawn from a depth of 70 metres - a pure, mineral-rich water that contributes significantly to the character of Dingle Spirits. Distillation takes place in three specially constructed pot stills, resulting in a particularly mild and pure distillate.

The distillery uses three copper stills: a 5,000 litre wash still, a 3,500 litre intermediate still and a 2,500 litre spirit still. These pot stills are designed for maximum flavour purity - reflux balls and long lyne arms intensify the copper contact, which filters out unwanted substances and ensures a smooth, elegant raw spirit.

Dingle only uses unpeated malt, which is sourced from the Irish malting companies Minch Malt and Malting Company of Ireland (MCI). For the Single Malt, 100 % barley malt is used, while the Single Pot Still Whiskey consists of a ratio of 60 % malted and 40 % unmalted barley - following the traditional Irish model. The barley varieties used are Concerto and Laureate.

The mashing process in Dingle is based on the so-called infusion process, in which the hot water remains in contact with the crushed malt for longer. This creates a particularly sweet flavour that clearly characterises the subsequent spirit.

Mashing takes place in a traditional wooden mash tun with a volume of 5,000 litres. A special feature: the mash is mixed exclusively via the inlet - there are no mechanical agitators or rakes inside.

Fermentation takes place over a period of 72 hours - a long fermentation time by Irish standards, which gives the raw spirit a fruity, complex character. Five wooden washbacks are used, each with a capacity of 5,000 litres. Although the tanks could hold more, this buffer is required as the washbacks are not equipped with so-called ‘switcher blades’. Otherwise the liquid would overflow.

The maritime climate of County Kerry with its humid Atlantic air allows the Whiskeys to mature particularly evenly and intensively. The Dingle Distillery stores up to 7,500 casks in its own warehouse, including mainly Sherry casks, but also Bourbon, port wine and Madeira casks.

A highlight of the history is the ‘Founding Fathers Programme’, in which 500 barrels were sold to private individuals - including the opportunity to decide on the bottling themselves after maturation. Each of these bottles bears the name of the respective ‘founder’ - a piece of Whiskey history you can touch.

The Dingle Distillery was founded in 2012 by Oliver Hughes, Liam LaHart and Peter Mosley, the pioneers of the Irish craft beer movement (Porterhouse Brewing Company). Their aim was to make Ireland a hotspot for artisan Whiskey again - away from the industrial giants.

The distillery was housed in an old sawmill and the first raw spirit was poured into the barrel in the same year it was founded. Today, Dingle is one of Ireland's best-known independent distilleries - and is still family-run to this day.

Whiskey and Gin lovers are welcome in Dingle all year round. Guided distillery tours give guests an exciting insight into the production process and they can sample the award-winning Whiskeys, Gins and Vodkas directly on site during a tasting.