Another craft whiskey hits the shelves today with the launch of Ballykeefe Whiskey, a pot still Irish whiskey from Ireland’s only family farm with a fully integrated eco-friendly distillery.

The distillery is part of a family-owned beef and tillage farm in Kilkenny owned by Morgan and Anne Ging, who started it in 2016 and are now releasing its first whiskey.

Every drop of whiskey in a Ballykeefe bottle is triple distilled from barley grown on the farm, making it a uniquely 100% grain to glass operation, say the Gings, and the limited release includes 350 bottles at cask strength and 700 at the higher-than-standard 45% ABV.

Morgan Ging (pictured) said: “The launch of the Ballykeefe whiskey is the culmination of over 25 years work for our family. In 2016, we took the decision to adapt our traditional farming business and revive the longstanding tradition of small family farm distilleries in Ireland. 

“Our operations are centred around our unique, high quality product, which is produced using leading technology to ensure eco-friendly practices and zero off-farm waste.”

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While the distillery started operating well before the pandemic, producing white spirits since 2017, the Gings acknowledge that the diversification has helped blunt the effect of Covid-19 on their farm’s income stream. 

He added that the project is a dream come true, as he spent 25 years of research and effort to bring it to fruition and wanted it to be “a worthy modern day descendant of the glorious history of Irish whiskey”. 

According to rare whiskey collector Dick Manogue, "the limited release is a collector’s dream in terms of presentation, rarity and future value, for those who hold on to their bottle rather than drinking it". “Each cask is individually bottled, with both the cask and bottle number handwritten on the label of each bottle," Manogue added.

Each bottle has been engraved by Kilkenny Crystal and mounted in a presentation box with a certificate of authenticity. The cask strength bottles come in a larger presentation box with two hand-cut crystal glass tumblers, designed in partnership with Kilkenny Crystal.

The Ballykeefe First Release Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey 46% ABV retails for €195 per bottle, while the Ballykeefe First Release Cask Strength Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey (with its crystal glasses) will set you back €450 direct from the distillery shop.

The distillery also produces a range of gins, vodkas and a poitín, at prices from €35 to €45 a bottle.