Fercullen – Bottling 21-year-old stunners alongside its own-make single malt, this young distillery puts a spotlight on Ireland’s whiskey industry

Powerscourt Distillery stands in good company. Located on the beautiful Powerscourt Estate and next to the stunning Powerscourt House it also neighbours the five-star Powerscourt resort and hotel as well as looking out on two championship golf courses where it produces the Fercullen brand. 

Launched in 2018, Powerscourt Distillery is a beautiful visitor experience where whiskey fans will receive a five-star welcome in their screening, tasting and visitor rooms. They’ll also get backstage where the distillery team produces a range of single malt and single pot still whiskies, as well as blends, under the Fercullen brand. 

Triple- and doubled-distilled, Fercullen is a premium Irish whiskey brand that, until 2023, relied on excellent sourced whiskey from Cooley distillery. Its own whiskey came of age in recent years and the first single malt own-make Fercullen release was born. 

A tasting at Powerscourt will illustrate the emphasis the distillery team put on how well Fercullen pairs with food and they are active supporters of local food produce in the Co Wicklow area. Owned by three families, the distillery is a crucial independent whiskey engine in the Irish industry, with a prominent role in the development of Ireland’s place on the world whiskey stage.

Here are two bottles from our shelves.

Fercullen Single Malt  – 1st Release

This is a milestone release from the Co Wicklow distillery. The first whiskey to flow in the county for over 100 years is a 46% single malt, distilled, matured and bottled entirely on the Powerscourt estate.

Taking its first gold medal at the 2023 Irish whiskey Awards represents a huge step forward for the brand, which had relied entirely on sourced whiskey from Cooley up until then. 

This single malt, a limited release of just 6,000 bottles, offers fragrant vanilla, caramel, apples, and pears on the nose. This leads to a rich palate of custard, more vanilla, oak, and tarte tatin. With a warm finish of almonds, stewed fruits, and lots of oak, this is a whiskey to be savoured.

Fercullen 21-Year-Old Single Malt

An annual release, this superb 21-year-old whiskey is the oldest that Powerscourt has bottled. Sourced from the renowned Cooley distillery, this 46% single malt is a marriage of whiskey matured in ex-bourbon, oloroso and PX sherry casks. This three-cask maturation breaks down into a ratio of 70%/20%/10% respectively, and this careful balance of flavours has produced a fantastic result.

On the nose, you will discover lots of tropical fruit alongside layers of fudge and vanilla. The palate is a wonderful experience where the dark fruits, chocolate, and orange oil of the casks make their presence felt. The finish is sweet and spice-filled, with a long, luscious close.

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