Review of the Masterclass with @Beardydave81 from Dingle Distillery – IWF’24

Setting before start Dingle Masterclass, with Dave Cummins.

Introduction

My first masterclass at the International Whisky Festival The Hague was the Dingle Distillery whiskey masterclass, presented by the Global Brand Ambassador, Dave Cummins, also known as @beardydave81. This session provided an in-depth look into the origins of Dingle whiskey, starting with a Single Malt New Make.

Tasting Experience

The character of the new make was evident in the whiskeys featured during the masterclass. We began with the core version of the Single Malt, which, despite feeling a bit flat after the high alcohol content of the new make, remained a solid whiskey. Excitingly, Dingle Distillery is working on two new core range expressions: a Pot Still and an age-stated expression.

Celtic Wheel of the Year Series

The masterclass also showcased several editions from the Celtic Wheel of the Year series, all of which have now been released. These editions are Single Malt or Pot Still whiskeys with various finishes. Highlights included:

Cónocht an Fomhair Edition (Autumn Equinox): A Single Malt finished in rum casks, marking the moment when day and night each last exactly 12 hours.

Bealtaine Edition (May Day): A Pot Still whiskey finished in Shiraz wine casks, offering delightful fruit notes in the finish.

Lá an Dreoilín Edition (Wren Day): The final release in the series, finished in Muscatel casks, celebrating a grandly celebrated Celtic festival in Dingle.

Dingle´´s Line up for Masterclass at IWF´´24

Exclusive Single Cask

To conclude the masterclass, we tasted an 8-year-old Single Malt matured in Pedro Ximénez sherry casks, exclusively bottled for the Dutch market by Tradeinspirits and Whisky Center. This whiskey was truly outstanding.

Conclusion

The Dingle Distillery masterclass was a remarkable experience, offering a deep dive into the rich flavors and traditions of Dingle whiskey. Each edition presented during the session highlighted the distillery’s commitment to quality and innovation.