The Liberator Introduces Lakeview Single Estate Whiskey "Hilly Field"

press release

The Liberator and Lakeview Single Estate Whiskey

Release of The Liberator Storehouse Special Port ’n’ Peat.

Release of Batch 3 of The Liberator Malt in Tawny Port Finish.

Introducing the Lakeview Single Estate Whiskey ‘Hilly Field’.

Maurice, at home

The Liberator Storehouse Special Port ’n’ Peat

Wayward Irish Spirits is pleased to release Batch 2 of their latest Liberator Storehouse Special, the Port ’n’ Peat. A delicious Port finished Whiskey with a very subtle Peated Malt element. 

Founder of Wayward Irish Spirits, Maurice O’Connell says “Our Storehouse Specials are small runs of interesting Whiskeys from our Bonded Storehouse – we like to keep the Whiskey community in touch with our progress and also use it to test release potential new products. After the fantastic reaction to the Port ’n’ Peat at Belfast Whiskey Week we released 200 bottles of Batch 1 which sold out very quickly, so we’re doing a further small test release before deciding whether to add it to our core range”. 

Maurice explains “We’ve been playing with the wonderful effect a small element of Peated Malt has on our Port finished Whiskey. Too much or too little risks one overpowering the other but we found that around 5% Peated Malt was the sweet spot where the Peat highlights the Port, making a very moreish and approachable Whiskey”. 

Maurice continues “This is a premium blended Whiskey with a high (45%) Malt content. The unpeated Malt was finished in really fresh Tawny and Ruby Port Casks and half of the Grain component was finished in fresh Ruby Port casks, all for 9-12 months. The Whiskeys in this blend were sourced from Cooley and Great Northern. As with all our Whiskeys, we cut it gently cut over many weeks to avoid stressing it, borrowing from Cognac tradition. The colour is natural, it’s not chill filtered or otherwise messed with. As everything other than distillation - from maturation to finishing, blending and bottling - can be done on site, we can take the time to do things properly. 

400 numbered half (350ml) bottles (200 for the Irish market). Bottled at 46% ABV, RSP €35. Available now from Irish Malts, Celtic Whiskey, James Fox, Tiny Tipples and Carryout Killarney.

The Liberator Malt in Tawny Port Finish – Batch 3 

Hot on the heels of it making it into the Finals of the Blas na hÉireann Food Awards (medallists to be announced 2^nd October), we are proud to announce the latest release of The Liberator Malt in Tawny Port Finish. This is a premium rich and complex Whiskey with lots of fruit notes from the really fresh Tawny Port barrels. This is Ireland’s first vatted Malt in decades and led the wave of Tawny Port finishes, showing the innovation that Whiskey Bonders like Wayward Irish Spirits can bring to the category. Similar to Batch 2, the components are 2006 Cooley Single Malt (increased to 25% in this Batch) and 2015/2016 Great Northern Single Malt.

1,000 numbered bottles (450 for the Irish market) at 46% ABV with a RSP of €65. Available at specialist Whiskey shops (Celtic, James Fox, Irish Malts, Tiny Tipples, Carryout Killarney) and in Supervalu’s throughout Kerry. 

Lakeview Single Estate Whiskey

The hilly field is in the background

Wayward Irish Spirits is getting closer to the release of the first Lakeview Single Estate Whiskey from their 2018 Hilly Field barley harvest. This was small-batch malted in Naas and then distilled (by Great Northern Distillery) into Pot Still spirit to their 50/50 mash bill and specification in March 2019. Initially in Bourbon casks for 3 months before transferring into NEOC casks (First Growth chateau Bordeaux casks, hand shaved and re-toasted).

Maurice says “This is our first Whiskey from Barley grown on the Lakeview Estate and matured here. The Hilly Field, where the Whiskey was born, is adjacent to our Bonded Storehouse ‘The House of Contentment’ and I think people value that provenance and authenticity. There are many views on the effect of Terroir on the barley used to make Whiskey but there’s no doubt that the Estate’s constantly changing microclimate exerts a definite influence on maturation here. Even at 2.5 years, the Whiskey is impressing tasters with a maturity beyond its years and it’s already very drinkable.”

A small release of 800 bottles is planned to mark its ‘coming of age’ in March 2022. Pre-orders are being taken now based on a price of €95 for a 700ml bottle at 46% ABV. A small number of quarter casks (55-60L) with the same 2019 spirit are available at €5,000 +vat including 3 years further storage and bottling, representing around €50/bottle before vat and duty.

The lake view