For many years a carved Oak Devil stood over the arched entrance to The Liberties area of Dublin, gleefully surveying the mayhem and mischief beyond in the quarter commonly known to the locals as hell.
In memory of this carving, which disappeared in the night decades ago, the Irish Whiskey distillery that has taken up resiednce in the area, the Dublin Liberties, has released a whisky bearing it’s name.
Both the 5-year-old Oak Devil and it’s sibling, the 10-year-old Copper Alley are now available in Australia and were accompanied down under for their debut by Master Distiller Darryl McNally.
“These whiskeys are inspired by Dublin Whiskey’s colourful past but not bound by it, and I hope Australians enjoy drinking them as much we did crafting them,” he said.
“I believe the future for Irish whiskey is in innovation and pushing the boundaries – and that’s what we’re here to deliver – the best Irish whiskey you could have the luck of getting on your lips.”
The Whiskey
Oak Devil has been inspired by the eponymous area of the Irish capital, this has been aged in bourbon casks and is filled with notes of caramel, Christmas cake, and pepper.
Copper Ally is aged initially in bourbon barrels for 10 years, before being finished for six months in oloroso sherry casks. his has enticing notes of chocolate, raisins, and nuts.
As one of the most experienced Master Distillers in Ireland, McNally has honed his craft for almost 20 years at the oldest distillery on the Emerald Isle, before helping start The Dublin Liberties Distillery.
He continued: “Making whiskey is my passion, my lifeblood and I’m proud to be doing it in such a historic distilling district. I believe the future for Irish Whiskey is in innovation, pushing the boundaries and showing how diverse it can be – distilling the very best Irish whiskey.
“These whiskeys are inspired by Dublin Whiskey’s colorful past but not bound by it, and I hope Australians enjoy drinking them as much we did crafting them.”
SouthTrade International’s Jon Prew added: “Following the great uptake of The Dead Rabbit Irish Whiskey, we are thrilled to add these two new liquids to our diverse and growing portfolio of local and international Whiskies.
“These new drops are daring, full of a rich and rife story, deriving from an iconic location that is overflowing with unique heritage – creating liquid gold. Darryl’s visit to our shores shows how committed he is to helping us grow the Dublin Irish Whiskey sector here.”
The Distillery
Located in the heart of Dublin, The Dublin Liberties Distillery is in an area with a long and proud heritage in whiskey production. McNally said: ‘Making whiskey is my passion, my lifeblood, and to be doing it in the heart of Dublin’s historic distilling district is nothing short of a dream come true for me.
The recently opened innovative distillery can host up to 80,000 visitors throughout the year, with whiskey enthusiasts able to choose from several experiences including tastings, distillery tours, and more in-depth sessions about the whiskey-making process and sampling exclusive whiskeys.
And whatever happened to the carved Oak Devil? Well, some say that it was seduced by the whiskey angels escaping the barrels in the courtyard distilleries. But it’s more likely that the dark powers of that devil entered those barrels and have infused the whiskey with a little mischief on his own.
If you are after more information on the Dublin Liberties Whiskey, we will be speaking with Master Distiller Darryl McNally on the podcast, Cocktails Distilled, next week.
