press release
For One Night Only New York’s The Dead Rabbit Bar
To Take Over Cask in Cork
Ian Alexander, Bar Director of the world-renowned The Dead Rabbit will be in Cask serving cocktails on June 18th from 7 pm to 10 pm
The Dead Rabbit, a highly acclaimed New York bar, has been recognised with
| 2023 Bar of the Year Awards Winners Announced! | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Paladar in Co. Cork was named Bar of the Year at this year's prestigious Bar of The Year Awards ceremony which took place in the Clayton Hotel, Burlington Road.
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Amongst the galaxy of contenders, the most exceptional bars have been recognized and celebrated for their extraordinary contributions to the hospitality industry. These establishments have elevated the art of mixology, ambiance, and service, captivating patrons with unforgettable experiences. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
After rigorous evaluation and deliberation by an esteemed panel of industry experts only the best in the industry were crowned winners. Amongst many other winners on the night, Bar No 23. at The Merrion Hotel in Co.Dublin took home Gold for "Five Star Hotel Bar of the Year" Sponsored by London Essence, while BAR 1661 took home Gold for "Innovative Bar of the Year", Sponsored by Istil 38. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The winners were announced on Monday, the 21st of August at a gala awards ceremony hosted by Anton Savage at the Clayton Hotel, Burlington Road.
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bar of the Year 2023 Winners | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
And Echlinville Distillery
We were told to expect sherry bombs from Dunville’s Jarlath Watson (right) during Sunday’s masterclass in Cask. No shortage of sherry influences but it seems Dunville are more about patience.
The patience is required to keep their spirit in cask until it is good and ready to go. And then they have a good steady climate (no extremes) in their corner of the Ards Peninsula, more temperate than even areas quite close to them.
And Jarlath also spoke about the land, part of their own particular terroir. “We are a fifty acre working farm… we grow all our own barley… it is floor-malted (not the most economical method!)." And everything is done within a three mile radius. Thanks to their use of various sherry casks (an endangered species, by the way), they have many different expressions from their own micro-terroir.
This is all centered around the Echlinville Distillery. But while you can get Echlinville gin, you’ll have to wait for their whiskey. The makers have patience and that will have to extend to the customers! Maybe something later this year, if they are ready!
Dunville's is a old Belfast brand that they got in 2011 and fills the gap while waiting for Echlinville very own whiskey. All spirits for the Dunville are bought in and finished in sherry casks. Dunville’s has quite a fascinating story. Founded in 1808 and originally produced at the Royal Irish Distilleries in Belfast, Dunville’s was was among the world’s most famous whiskey brands until the distillery fell silent in 1936. Read more here.
 |
| Ready to roll in Cask |
Now it is back and we started in Cask with their Three Crowns, an average age of 7 years, 70% grain and 30% malt “married after five years”. “It is lazy, mellow, chilled out, a light breakfast whiskey,’ said Jarlath, jokingly or not I don’t know!
Sample #3 was a favourite of mine, and quite a few others, and it is in bottle but you’ll have to travel to Fairley’s in Coleraine to get it as it was especially made for their “very old bar”. It is a 13 year old whiskey, raised in sherry casks from the bar, weighs in at 57% and is very impressive indeed.
On then to another different take, a whiskey made in a rather special Armagnac cask from Gascony (warning: don’t ask for Cognac if you’re in that area). Again Jarlath is expecting more from this one and is gambling on another two years, knowing that patience pays off sometimes as it did with the IPA.
A 20-year old followed having spent the last 4.5 years in Oloroso cask and came with all the Christmas cake aromas and flavours you’d expect. And it was here that Jarlath reiterated their patient approach: “We don’t put it out too early. We keep it until ready… and then it should be excellent.”
There was one for the road and it was amazing. It was a 21-year old (finished for 3.5 to 4 years in Pedro Ximenez cask). The sweetness of the PX was a feature of course but the distillery achieved a perfect balance. One to savour as we hit MacCurtain Street, the home of the superb Cork Whiskey festival 2023. Here’s to 2004!
There's more than one Irishman!
*************************
+ below, Killowen/Blackwater Poitín Combination
Cork's Cask nets another national cocktail award.
*************************
The Irishman The Harvest Single Malt and Single Pot Irish Whiskey 40% ABV
Widely available at about €40.00.
Here’s the introduction from producers Walsh Whiskey: The Irishman. Premium Irish Whiskey. Exceptional character. Championing Irish Single Malt. The recreation of age-old recipes to create unrivalled expressions. For a new generation of whiskey enthusiasts.
Bridge Street in Cork City is set to welcome Paladar, a Latin American-inspired cocktail bar and restaurant, opening today, Monday 3rd October.
%20(9).jpeg)
Paladar is the second premises from the team behind Cask, the multi-award-winning cocktail bar and restaurant on Cork’s MacCurtain Street that's known for its seasonal-led cocktail and food menus.
Latin American spirits like Rum, Cachaça, Tequila, Mezcal and Pisco will form the backbone of the cocktail menu at Paladar which will include classics like the Margarita, Pisco Sour and Caipirinha. The team also plans to revisit some lesser-known Latin American classics such as the Night Cap, a mix of Bolivian gin, Cognac, house-made Creme de Cacao and lime.
%20(1).jpeg)
Paladar’s co-owner Andy Ferreira (above) is excited to bring something new to Cork, saying, “Paladar is an homage to Latin American culture. The vibrance and energy found there is so infectious and it’s epitomised in their food and drinks culture. In Cuba, a Paladar is a small, family-run restaurant which offers a unique insight into Cuban hospitality; the name comes from the Spanish word for palate. Our goal is to present an ever-evolving cocktail and food menu, letting seasonality and availability guide us along that path.”
The food menu consists of small plates from the Caribbean Islands, Central and South America, with sample dishes including: Cured mackerel with raspberry aguachile and green apple; deep-fried beef empanadas; Picanha anticucho, salsa Creola and grilled sweet corn; and monkfish with moqueca sauce, seasonal vegetables, coriander and biquinho chilli.
As with Latin American culture, music will play an integral part at Paladar with DJs taking to the decks at weekends, offering great music and laid-back vibes. And in good news for Cork coffee lovers, Paladar is collaborating with SOMA Coffee Company to serve unique Latin American coffee blends, kicking off with a delicious Guatemalan roast, expertly roasted in Cork.
%20(5).jpeg) |
| Plantation Cafe Swizzle |
Located at 6 Bridge Street, Cork City, Paladar has undergone a dramatic refurbishment, resulting in a vibrant yet eclectic interior seating up to 65 people. It also features art and sculpture from renowned Latin American and Irish artists, including a spectacular glass installation by Glanmire-based Eoin Turner Studio, with plants from Cork Rooftop Farm.
Paladar is open from Monday - Friday from 12 noon til late and on Saturdays and Sundays from 10am (brunch served at weekends).
Paladar, 6 Bridge Street, Cork. Walk-ins are welcome or book online at www.paladar.ie
Press release./ Pics by Miki Barlok
Cask in Cork Announced As Top 10 International Cocktail Bar in Europe at ‘Tales of The Cocktail’ 2022 Spirited Awards®
.jpeg)
Since opening in 2017 on MacCurtain Street in the heart of Cork city, Cask has gone on to win multiple awards with its bartenders representing Ireland internationally with seasonal-led and terroir-focussed Cocktails.
Top 10 Honoree nomination is particularly exciting for Cask’s managing partner Andy Ferreira, who says, "I'm absolutely thrilled Cask has been nominated as a regional honoree at the annual Spirited Awards. Not just for Cask, but for the Irish bar industry as a whole. A Tales of the Cocktail nomination is renowned for being a pinnacle in our industry globally and seeing an Irish bar listed alongside some of the finest bars in the world is quite surreal. It's all down to our amazing team past and present and the incredible Irish products we work with daily ."
As a Top 10 Europe Honoree, Cask joins an impressive roll call of other international cocktail bars, including well-known London bars Satan’s Whiskers, Tayēr + Elementary and Three Sheets, along with Barcelona’s Two Shmucks.
(052).jpeg) |
| Andy Ferreira |
Since its founding in 2007, the Spirited Awards, run by the Tales of the Cocktail Foundation, has become one of the industry’s most sought-after awards, celebrating global excellence in the drinks industry and recognising professionals, organisations, and establishments shaping the cocktail community worldwide. The judging panel includes respected bartenders, bar owners, educators, and writers from across the globe who draw on their years of experience to evaluate nominees from far and wide to ensure that the Spirited Awards are inclusive and represent the breadth and diversity of the global drinks industry.
There will be even more good news to come from the Cask team as another exciting venue is planned for opening in late summer 2022. Andy says, “We've started work on a new venue which is opening later this year. We don't want to give too much away but let's just say it's a very different concept to what we do in Cask where locality and embracing the best Ireland has to offer is at the heart of what we do. For our new cocktail bar and restaurant, we're going slightly further afield for our inspiration. We’re looking forward to sharing more news about our latest project soon."
The ultimate winners of the 2022 Spirited Awards will be announced at a ceremony at The Ritz-Carlton, New Orleans on 28th July this year.
press release
Cask Launches ‘Casktails’
Bottled Cocktails Nationwide
Andy Ferreira, manager of Cask, busy at work!
Cask, the multi-award winning cocktail bar on McCurtain Street in Cork, is delighted to launch ‘Casktails’, a range of ready-to-pour bottled cocktails in 350ml (€22) and 750ml sizes (€44), available for takeaway and delivery nationwide.
The new bottled cocktail offering will feature seasonal and foraged ingredients, which are sourced locally from artisan food producers like the orchards at Ballymaloe House, Cork Rooftop Farm, honey from Coolmore Bees in Carrigaline, as well as foraged produce from local woodlands and fields. These ingredients are then expertly mixed with premium spirits such as Don Julio, Bacardi, Hennessy and Absolut. Irish brands also feature with Dingle Gin, West Cork Distillers, Irish Raspberry Wine from Wicklow Way Wines and Cask’s beloved Beamish Irish Stout making the list.
The Cask team, renowned for their visual menus and edgy style, have screen printed the uniquely designed labels on each bottled cocktail. The result is a true reflection of Cask as a popular and world-renowned bar with a range of seven fun, creative and truly original bottled cocktails, six of which are seasonal twists on classic cocktails. The six cocktails include: The Fizzy Apple Mojito, made with Bacardi Carta Blanca, Bacardi Ocho, Ballymaloe Apple Juice, mint and Champagne yeast; the Raspberry & Nettle Gimlet featuring Dingle Gin, Irish raspberry wine and nettle cordial; the Sorrel Margarita with Don Julio Blanco, Triple Sec, rhubarb, sorrel and spent lime; the Beamish Boulevardier featuring West Cork Distillers Bog Oak, Beamish, Campari, local honeys and Bitters; the Cherry Blossom Pornstar Martini made with Absolut Vanilla, Passionfruit and Cherry Blossom; and the Hennessy Woodland Alexander, created with Hennessy V.S, Chocolate Woodland Liqueur and Cream Liqueur.
The Bartender's Choice will rotate as new ingredients come into season and will feature guest bars and bartenders from around the world. The inaugural drink has been created by London's ‘Homeboy’ Cocktail Bar and is a twist on the Woo Woo featuring Connemara Peated Whiskey.
Andy Ferreira, manager of Cask, is excited about the new initiative, saying “With Casktails, we’re aiming to give customers a little of the unique Cask cocktail experience in the comfort of their own homes and gardens with delivery right to their door. It’s great to be welcoming back customers soon but there’s no doubt the takeaway model is going to be around for a while.”
The Casktails range, in 350ml (€22) and 750ml sizes (€44), is available through the Cask website at www.caskcork.com or at the bar itself. Courier delivery is €7 anywhere on the island of Ireland with free delivery for orders over €100. Allow 1 to 2 working days for delivery.
Press release
