THE BEST Irish whiskeys in the world are toasted at the annual Irish Whiskey Awards.
Irish whiskey is enjoying something of a moment, with no fewer than 35 different and highly distinctive distilleries operating across the Emerald Isle.
The Irish Whiskey Awards offered a rare chance to celebrate the very best in what has become a billion-dollar industry in the US.
In 2019, Dingle Distillery in County Kerry hosted the gala event in what was a memorable night for Irish spirts.
Walsh Whiskey was the big winner on the night, taking home the coveted Best Irish Whiskey of the Year prize for the Irishman 17-Year-Old.
Midleton Barry Crockett Legacy was named Best Irish Single Pot Still Whiskey with Dunville’s PX Cask 12-Year-Old crowned Best Irish Single Malt Whiskey (12 Years & Younger).
Bowe’s Bar was one of the other big winners, with the traditional old-world pub taking home the award for Best Irish Whiskey Bar of the Year.
Elsewhere, New York’s world-famous drinking establishment The Dead Rabbit was crowned Best Irish Whiskey Bar of the Year in the International category.
There were a selection of non-whiskey awards on offer too with Beara Ocean Gin receiving the award for Best Irish Gin while the Best Irish Vodka gong went to Lough Ree Zesty Vodka.
(Image: iStock)The full list of winners can be enjoyed below:
Irish Whiskey Awards & Gold Medal (2019) Winners:
Overall Winners:
Best Irish Whiskey of the Year – The Irishman 17-Year-Old
Best Irish Whiskey Bar of the Year - Bowe’s, Dublin
Best Irish Single Pot Still Whiskey
- Winner: Midleton Barry Crockett Legacy
- Gold Medal: Redbreast 15-Year-Old
- Gold Medal: Green Spot
Best Irish Single Malt Whiskey (12 Years & Younger)
- Winner: Dunville’s PX Cask 12-Year-Old
- Gold Medal: Tyrconnell 10-Year-Old Port Finish
- Gold Medal: Tyrconnell Single Malt
Best Irish Single Malt Whiskey (13 Years & Older)
- Winner: Teeling Brabazon Volume 1
- Gold Medal: Dublin Liberties Keeper’s Coin
- Gold Medal: Knappogue Castle 16-Year-Old
Best Irish Blended Whiskey (RRP of less than €60/$66)
- Winner: Jameson Black Barrel
- Gold Medal: Slane Triple Casked Irish Whiskey
- Gold Medal: Tullamore D.E.W 12-Year-Old Special Reserve
Best Irish Blended Whiskey (RRP of €60/$66 or more)
- Winner: Jameson 18-Year-Old Bow Street
- Gold Medal: J.J. Corry AN FA
- Gold Medal: Writers’ Tears Copper Pot Japanese Mizunara Finish
Best Irish Single Cask Whiskey
- Winner: The Irishman 17-Year-Old
- Gold Medal: Sonny Molloys Redbreast 16-Year-Old
- Gold Medal: Celtic Cask 27
Best Irish Cask Strength Whiskey
- Winner: Redbreast 12-Year-Old Cask Strength
- Gold Medal: The Whistler 7-Year-Old Cask Strength
- Gold Medal: Writers’ Tears Cask Strength 2019 Release
Best Irish Single Grain Whiskey
- Winner: Method & Madness Single Grain Virgin Spanish Oak Finish
- Gold Medal: Glendalough Triple Barrel
- Gold Medal: Kilbeggan Single Grain
Best New Irish Whiskey
- Winner: Kilbeggan Small Batch Rye
- Gold Medal: Dingle Single Malt Batch 4
- Gold Medal: Teeling Single Pot Still Batch 3
Best Irish Gin
- Winner: Beara Ocean Gin
- Gold Medal: Echlinville Single Estate Irish Pot Still Gin
- Gold Medal: Dingle Gin
Best Irish Vodka
- Winner: Lough Ree Zesty Vodka
- Gold Medal: Assaranca Vodka
- Gold Medal: Loch Measc Vodca
Best Irish Poitín
- Winner: Mad March Hare Poitín
- Gold Medal: Straw Boys Poitín
- Gold Medal: Bán Poitín
Best Irish Liqueur
- Winner: DV8 Gold Cream Liqueur
- Gold Medal: Five Farms Irish Cream Liqueur
- Gold Medal: Coole Swan
Best Irish Whiskey Barrel Aged Irish Craft Beer
- Winner: Dingle Celebration Stout
- Gold Medal: Crann Beatha Imperial Stout
- Gold Medal: DOT Brew Easy Malt Dipa
Best Irish Whiskey Bar of the Year (Leinster)
- Winner: Bowe’s, Dublin
- Gold Medal: The Palace Bar, Dublin
- Gold Medal: The Sky & The Ground, Wexford
Best Irish Whiskey Bar of the Year (Munster)
- Winner: Dick Mack’s, Dingle
- Gold Medal: The Shelbourne Bar, Cork
- Gold Medal: The Folk House, Kinsale
Best Irish Whiskey Bar of the Year (Connacht)
- Winner: Garavan’s, Galway
- Gold Medal: Sonny Molloy’s, Galway
- Gold Medal: Sean’s Bar, Athlone
Best Irish Whiskey Bar of the Year (Ulster)
- Winner: The Duke of York, Belfast
- Gold Medal: Bittle’s Bar, Belfast
- Gold Medal: Madden’s, Belfast
Best Irish Whiskey Bar of the Year (International)
- Winner: The Dead Rabbit, New York
- Gold Medal: Milroy’s of Soho, London
- Gold Medal: The Dillon, Iceland
Who will be the 2021 Irish Whiskey Award winners? Keep tuned to IrishPost - for further updates later next month.
** Originally Published on: Oct 22, 2019 by Jack Beresford
