This month in GNI, we thought we’d chat about some terrific local tipples we’ve enjoyed recently, from delicious drams and sophisticated spirits, to non-alcoholic options, with a few cocktail recipe ideas to try for good measure. Sláinte!
Table of Contents
Yeats Irish Whiskey.
Last month, we had the absolute pleasure to attend the launch of Ireland’s newest whiskey, Yeats Irish Whiskey, in no better location than The Abbey Theatre, having been founded by W.B. Yeats himself, and Lady Gregory in 1904.
This unique celebration of Irish whiskey, theatre, and heritage began with a Yeats Irish Whiskey duo of cocktails; the old fashioned “Maud Gonne Wilde” with Yeats Whiskey, charred pear, bitters, & gold leaf, and the refreshing “Lake Isle Iced Tea” with Yeats Whiskey, roasted coconut, soda water, and green tea cordial.
We enjoyed a backstage tour of the stunning Abbey Theatre; what a privilege to immerse ourselves in Ireland’s National Theatre and to walk in the footsteps of literary and theatrical history.
And what of the whiskey itself?
Yeats Irish Whiskey has a smooth grain base, finished in Ruby Port casks, with warm vanilla & honey sweetness, mingling with toasted oak and hints of red berries from the port finish.
Yeats Irish Whiskey is as complex and refined as the poetry that inspired it, transporting us to the mystical Lake Isle of Innisfree.
Fire & 5th.
Recently, we met the delightful Mary, founder of “Fire & 5th” aperitivo-style alcohol free drinks, at the Belfast Flavours Live event, and she slipped us a couple of samples to try out at home.
Created using natural fruit and botanical extracts, with no alcohol and no artificial additives, each variety is flavour-forward and unapologetically adult.
As Mary says, “We’re all becoming more health conscious and aware of the negative impact of booze,” and she believes these drinks are a game changer for those who’ve been so often let down by the inferior non-alcoholic options available, so she wanted to create something unique and fun, yet sophisticated and layered.
There are three varieties; “Chilli & Blood Orange”-a bold aperitif made for those who like their flavour with a bit of fire, “Mint, Cardamom & Blackberry”- a herbal, dark-fruited blend, and “Rhubarb & Grapefruit”-bittersweet, complex, and tart, with a hint of honeyed sweetness.
We created our own Fire & 5th Gourmet Boys Cocktails. Why don’t you give them a go?
“Spiced Ginger Cooler”
Chilli & Blood Orange Fire & 5th, topped with Longbridge Belfast Ginger Ale, garnished with orange.
“Cardamom Gimlet”
Mint, Cardamom & Blackberry Fire & 5th, shaken with Jackson Roze Still Ginger Lemonade and Crushed Cardamom pods, garnished with a twist of lemon.
“Smokey Caravan”
Rhubarb & Grapefruit Fire & 5th, shaken with Suki Russian Caravan Tea and Sliabh Aughty Smoked Honey.
Strangford Zero Bramble.
A refreshing alcohol-free take on the gin-based favourite, our version of the classic Bramble uses “Spirit of Strangford Lough”, an artisan zero-alcohol spirit, crafted on the shores of Strangford Lough by Tracey’s Farmhouse Kitchen. Packed with botanicals inspired by the locality, such as juniper and sea aster for a salty-sweet coastal flavour, this cocktail captures the essence of the Co Down landscape.
Ingredients:
2 parts Spirit of Strangford Lough
1 part lemon juice
Teaspoon of bramble jam
Fresh blackberries
Sugar syrup to taste
Method:
Muddle some blackberries, jam, and sugar syrup in a cocktail shaker. Add ice, Spirit of Strangford Lough, and lemon juice and shake. Strain into a rocks glass with lots of crushed ice and garnish with a couple of blackberries.
Long Meadow Cider.
For many years, the orchard in The Long Meadow was known locally for the quality of its Bramley apples and is part of the farm owned by the McKeever family for three generations. Growing a mix of varieties, and using different planting processes to further refine the apples used, each generation has passed on different methods and traditions to the next.
Their delicious cider is pressed, fermented and produced naturally at Long Meadow Farm. The big sellers are the Medium, Blossom Burst, Rhubarb & Honey and Berry Blast, but we were mightily impressed by the small batch Oak Aged Cider which has been traditionally crafted in Irish oak barrels for maturity. There’s also a recently launched Alcohol Free Cider: crisp, dry and refreshing.
We would also thoroughly recommend the Long Meadow Cider tour in the company of the McKeever family, to see the whole cider process from start to finish; enjoy an orchard walk and witness first-hand how their apple farming business has evolved and changed over the generations. And of course no visit with the McKeever Family would be complete without tasting their award winning craft ciders and apple juice: a fascinating interactive experience set in the heart of the Orchard County.
McDaid’s Football Special.
A 4th generation family soft drinks business, McDaid’s of Donegal has been quenching thirsts with the legendary Football Special for decades.
Originally created to help celebrate the success of local sporting events, McDaid’s uses only the finest Irish water and a secret mixed-fruit formula to produce that unique foamy head.
The winning taste of Football Special is available in bottles, cans, and is part of a range of Retro Classics including Smooth Banana, American Orange Cream, American Cream Soda, and Classic Cola.
Let McDaid’s Football Special brighten your day with fizz, flavour, & great memories.
Boatyard Double Gin
The Boatyard Distillery, taking its name from the disused Boatyard on which it’s built, is situated on the banks of Lough Erne, and was founded in 2013 by Joe McGirr. Organically produced wheat spirit is macerated for 18 hours with 8 different botanicals, resulting in a gin perfect for Martinis, and with a double hit of juniper to stand up in a Gin & Tonic. This sustainable Irish gin is being used by many of the finest bartenders around the world.
The ‘double’ in Boatyard Double Gin refers to the purist’s approach of placing juniper at both the start and end of the distillation process resulting in a more pronounced juniper flavour. This delicious gin is definitely one of our favourites, and makes an amazing Martini, especially a “dirty” one with a little olive brine!
The range is phenomenally good, and also includes a gorgeous, fruity “Sloe Boat”, but our go-to has to be the “Old Tom”, which is slightly sweet & rounded, due to the Pedro Ximénez casks. A deliciously rich, velvety, smooth spirit.
