Hyde – The best single malt Irish whiskey in the world
Hyde Single Malt Irish Whiskey won a double-gold medal at the prestigious San Francisco World Spirits Competition earlier this year, earning it the title of Best single malt Irish whiskey in the world 2016 from a panel of 39 judges.
But despite such international acclaim, this artisan distillery remains family-run and continues to make small batches of just 5,000 bottles. Hyde’s hand-crafted whiskey is produced in traditional copper pot stills with only pure Cork spring water.
The Hyde family has a long tradition of being part of Cork’s drinks business. They ran taverns in the area from as far back as 1640, when they sold traditional Irish whiskey and draught stout straight from wooden casks. Twelve generations later and brothers Conor and Alan Hyde are the first generation not to own a tavern, but they continue the family tradition by producing some of Ireland’s finest whiskey. Hyde No. 1 ‘President’s Cask’ pays homage to Douglas Hyde, Ireland’s first president, who was inaugurated on 25 June 1938, giving birth to the Irish free state.
All Hyde whiskies are made in a single distillery, with each bottle carrying a unique bottle identification number so it can be traced right back to its original wooden cask and fill date. For Conor and Alan, the unique characteristics of their distinctive range of single malt and single grain whiskies are all down to the wood. They take pride in sourcing some of the best vintage wooden casks from around the world. Some of their favourites include ex-bourbon casks from Kentucky, old Oloroso sherry casks from Spain and dark Caribbean rum barrels. The whiskey is then aged on County Cork’s Southern Atlantic Coast, a region famous for its temperate climate, which creates the ideal conditions for maturing whiskey.
Hyde President No.1 10 Year Old Single Malt – Sherry Finish
After being matured for over 10 years in flame-charred, first-fill, ex-bourbon casks from Kentucky, the whiskey is finished for a further six months in sherry casks. The flamed bourbon casks add sweet vanilla and caramel flavours, while the toasted sherry casks add a nutty, spicy, dried fruit and toffee character to the final dram.
Hyde President No.2 10 Year Old Single Malt – Rum Finish
Like the ‘sherry finish’, the single malt ‘rum finish’ starts off with 10 years ageing in flame-charred, first-fill, Kentucky bourbon casks. The whiskey is then transferred to 200 litre charred dark Caribbean rum casks where it matures for a further eight months. In addition to the sweet vanilla and caramel flavours it takes from the bourbon casks, the charred rum barrels add a sweet and spicy rum character to the final expression.
Hyde Single Cask 6 Year Old Single Grain
Hyde Single Grain Irish whiskey is made on a traditional ‘Coffey Still’ from pure corn and barley grain. It is a triple-distilled, made in small batches and remains unblended. It is matured for over six years in flame-charred, first-fill, Kentucky bourbon casks.
Contact us to find out more about Hyde Irish whiskey.