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Drombeg
John O’Connell, and cousins, Denis McCarthy and Gerard McCarthy, have recently launched their new Drombeg Premium Irish Spirit — a brown spirit created in Union Hall, Co. Cork using local spring water and utilising a proprietary oak wood maturation method.
“We felt there was a great demand for a low alcohol brown spirit — and this is what inspired us to develop Drombeg which we have named after the nearby Drombeg stone circle,” said John.
“We started developing Drombeg in 2005 and got to the market earlier this year. It took an awful long time and a lot of work but when we thought we had got it right, we engaged the services of Dr Barry Walsh, former master blender with Irish Distillers and he helped bring it the final five per cent of the way, and that was a great confidence-booster, getting his endorsement.”
John pointed out that if a person wanted a brown spirit, before Drombeg, their choice was restricted to whiskey or brandy, Which are normally 40%Abv.
Drombeg has a good clean light feel but with a depth of flavour from the oak used in the maturation process, giving it a distinct but not overpowering flavour.
“We were fortunate also to get some Enterprise Ireland funding but, once we got the endorsement of Dr Barry Walsh, we were confident to drive ahead”
Drombeg is Ireland’s oldest stone circle – a mystical ancient monument dating from as early as 980 BC.
Here, amidst the rolling hills of the beautiful West Cork countryside, Drombeg has withstood millennia of change to endure as a silent tribute to Ireland’s enigmatic past.
Borne from this rich heritage and tradition, Drombeg Premium Irish Spirit™ is distilled and matured not far from this mysterious yet stunning archaeological feature. Created using pure spring water and locally-sourced ingredients, we achieve an outstanding traditional taste.
Smooth, subtle and with a distinctive smoky flavour, Drombeg Oak Wood Matured Premium Irish Spirit™ is inspired by the legacy of West Cork’s historic surroundings. Expertly distilled and patiently matured using our unique Drombeg™ maturation process, Drombeg Premium Irish Spirit™ extols the very same characteristics as the remarkable Drombeg site – timeless and intriguing.
Barry & Fitzwilliam are distributors of the product.
Andrew O’ Gorman.