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Writers’ Tears Distils World’s First Ever Organic Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey at Walsh Whiskey Distillery, Royal Oak

Writers’ Tears bringing innovation to Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey category

Royal Oak, Ireland – 24 January 2018: The dawn of a new year at Walsh Whiskey Distillery in Royal Oak, Ireland, has brought the distillation of the world’s first ever Organic Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey. It will be released, under the Writers’ Tears label, in several years’ time.

Following certification by The Organic Trust (the accredited body for upholding the integrity of Irish organic food – www.organictrust.ie) in the first week of January, Walsh Whiskey Distillery commenced the distillation process based on a mash of malted and unmalted barley which, along with pure water, are the ingredients of pot still whiskey. The new make spirit was triple distilled in the distillery’s three copper pot stills and will be matured, bottled and finally released under the Writers’ Tears label from 2023 at the earliest. It is anticipated that this batch will yield in the region of 30,000 bottles of what will be a unique first for Irish whiskey.

Under founder Bernard Walsh’s watchful eye early on a misty January morning in Royal Oak, the taste and nose of the new make organic pot still spirit coming off the stills and into the spirit safe at 81% ABV, provided something truly special. It has a deep and quite complex bouquet and range of tastes, even at this early stage in its creation. The organic new make single pot still spirit is being filled into both first fill bourbon barrels and virgin oak barrels and will mature for a minimum of 5 years.

Commenting on the decision to produce an Organic Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey, Walsh Whiskey Distillery Founder and Managing Director, Bernard Walsh, said:

“With both the pot and column stills allied to the capacity available to us here at Royal Oak, as well as the strength of our brands, we aim to be leaders in the development of and innovation within the Irish whiskey category – and this is one expression of that goal. Single Pot Still is a truly distinctive style of whiskey that is unique and true to Ireland. Similarly, Writers’ Tears is a unique and distinctive whiskey brand that resonates strongly with world-class, Irish creativity. This first ever Organic Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey will combine the magic of both these propositions to create what will be a unique new super-premium whiskey for whiskey enthusiasts to savour.”

Commenting on the first distillation of and future plans for producing organic whiskey, Walsh Whiskey Distillery’s Distillery Manager, Lisa Ryan, said:

“This Organic Single Pot Still reflects our commitment to the highest quality ingredients and innovation in our development of the full range of Irish whiskeys – pot still, malt, grain and blended. We are excited for the long term potential of organic whiskey based on the full flavour profiles it produces and the emerging consumer interest in and demand for sustainability in food and drink production.  We look forward to expanding our range of organic whiskeys as demand and supply increases in the coming years.”

Commissioned in March 2016, Walsh Whiskey’s manually-operated distillery is one of the largest in Ireland (8 million bottles annual capacity) and is equipped with both pot stills and column stills in the one still house. With the capacity and production scope now available to it, Walsh Whiskey Distillery is preparing the ground for its future many years from now by laying down significant stocks of whiskey. Much of those stocks will mature for years, even decades from now, with the earliest releases from Royal Oak scheduled for next year, in 2019.