When you’ve been waiting 17 years for your whiskey to mature, you’re not going to let a pesky virus interfere with its release date, and so it is for the Matt D’Arcy Whiskey Company in Newry.
The revival of the old Matt D’Arcy & Co distillers is unveiling the first Matt D’Arcy whiskies in more than 100 years, a pricey 17-year-old single malt and a 10-year-old blend, aimed at the super-premium and premium markets.
The single malt will set you back €375 for one of the 384 numbered bottles.
There’s a bit of razzmatazz about the bottle, each one of handblown Italian crystal glass, each one unique in shape, according to chief executive Andrew Cowan. He adds that “the equally unique spirit has a distinctive light spiciness, with subtle notes of honey, vanilla, apple sweetness, almonds, cinnamon and plum providing a warm, rewarding after-taste”.
It’s a little stronger than your average whiskey, too, at 46% ABV.
Those who fancy a nice dram but are a bit strapped can surely find €109 to take home a bottle of the other D'Arcy whiskey on offer, a 10-year old grain whiskey blended with 17-year old single malt, finished in port casks.
Both spirits are available only from the Celtic Whiskey Shop on Dawson Street in Dublin or online at www.celticwhiskeyshop.com.
Cowan added: “We are thrilled to be able to bring to market such a special old single malt along with our innovative blend to revive the whiskey making tradition in the Newry area. It has been a long time in the making, but now we mark the start of production of Matt D’Arcy’s whiskey range and our plan is to bring forward subsequent new batches later in the year."
There are plans for an €8m investment in the original site of the Matt D’Arcy Whiskey Company, with plans for an onsite distillery, restaurant, Victorian bar and international visitor centre.