The Echlinville Distillery

The Echlinville Distillery

The Echlinville Distillery is a farm distillery that produces Irish whiskey, gin and poitín near the shores of Strangford Lough in County Down.

It is comprised of an 18 acre farm, and a state-of-the-art stillhouse which stands proudly alongside the 19th century Echlinville Manor House. The house was originally the seat of the Echlins who were once among the most influential families in Ireland and now offers guests the chance to stay overnight in the lap of luxury.

The home of Dunville’s Irish Whiskey, Echlinville Gin, Jawbox Gin and Bán Poitín Echlinville became Northern Ireland’s first first licensed distillery in over 125 years and distilled its first spirit in 2013. It sits just 1 hour from Belfast and 2.5 hours from Dublin.

Dunvilles is a legacy brand that fell victim to the whiskey dark ages. Originally Made by the Royal Irish distillery it was out of production for almost 80 years before Elchlinville revived it in 2013

The distillery is unique in that it is believed to be Ireland’s first ‘field to glass’ distillery. Echlinville’s new-make spirits are distilled from barley grown and harvested from their own fields and floor-malted by hand in accordance with Irish Whiskey’s most traditional practises, including trickle distillation.

What is most endearing about Echlinville is their local identity. It is the people of Echlinville that eat sleep and breath the history and future of the distillery and are its beating heart. Their story is one of provenance, pride in their roots and devotion to the tradition and art of distilling and maturation. They also age their spirit on site on open sand floors in the warehouse.

They offer tours of their working distillery from 11:30 – 17:00 Monday to Saturday. The tour takes guests from delivery of the malted barley through the mashing process up to the final distillation in a very intimate way. At the end of the 1.5hour tour the stills and condenser converge in a feat of architectural design to make up a magnificent centerpiece in the tasting area.

They have plans to develop a dedicated visitor center which will provide catering facilities and a welcome area for visitors but until then, visitors are welcomed at Echlinville Manor House with tea, coffee and cake on arrival.

 

 

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