Irish Whiskey Distillery Launches Limited Edition Port Cask-Aged Gin

An Irish whiskey producer has just launched an aged gin, packed with complex tasting notes gleaned from time spent in port casks.

Irish whiskey producer, Connacht Distillery, has released a limited edition port cask-aged gin. Only 2,100 bottles have been made of the gin, making it quite the “rare treat,” according to the distillery.

“Previous editions of our cask aged gin have been rested in toasted French oak casks,” the distillery wrote. “This time, the distilling team thought it would be interesting to try resting it in some casks which previously contained port.”

Thus, Connacht Distillery’s port cask-aged gin was born! This juniper-forward spirit is described as tasting of elderberry flowers and Conncullin hawthorn berries with a touch of port-cask sweetness. Notes of honey and white grapes can be picked up on the finish of the 47% ABV gin.

For the uninitiated, port wine is a style of fortified red wine that originates from Portugal. Similar to Champagne, it must be made in Portugal to be called a port. The wine is often sweet, but can also come in dry, white or semi-dry varieties.

All of Connacht Distillery’s spirits are made completely on-site, from preparing its mash, fermenting and distilling to aging and bottling its wide range of products. Other offerings from the Irish spirits producer include multiple whiskeys, poitin, vodka and two additional gins.

“Port in the Storm” Cocktail Recipe, Per the Distillery

(Photo: Connacht Distillery)

• 1 teaspoon apple jam
• 1 teaspoon wild north mayo honey
• 1 dash of cinnamon
• 2 dashes of smoked pear bitters (we use beara bitters)
• 2 shots sweet and sour
• 1 1/2 shots Conncullin Port Cask Aged Irish gin

“Shake in a cocktail shaker, pour it over a large cube – but before you do that run some lemon juice around the rim of your glass and dip it in cinnamon sugar,” the distillery writes.

This recipe comes from Danika, the resident tour guide and mixologist at Connacht Distillery. You can find her on Instagram here.

Beyond a dazzling “Port in the Storm” cocktail, Conncullin Port Cask Aged Irish Gin is recommended to be served on ice, “sipped with friends.”

According to the distillery, the name “Conncullin” comes from the names of the two lakes in County Mayo — Lough Conn and Lough Cullin —  where the spirits producer’s water source originates.

If this limited port-aged gin sounds like your kind of spirit, bottles are available for purchase here, priced at €45.99 ($49.63).

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