whiskey
IslandMen
Islanders are made differently. So is Islandmen Irish Whiskey
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IslandMen
'We were imbued with the sound of the wind that blew in from the seashore, beating in our ears every morning, clearing our brains and rinsing the dust from our skulls.’
Tomas O'Crohan, The Islander.
Brian and Jim are "The Islandmen" who share a love of this place and its diverse landscape and people, free thinking independents building a legacy.
Islandmen Irish Whiskey celebrates the rich heritage and traditional craftsmanship of Irish Whiskey production, encapsulating the spirit of exploration and the untamed beauty of Ireland.
Using only the finest ingredients and traditional distillation techniques IslandMen Irish Whiskey represents the pinnacle of quality and the first release of an Irish Whiskey in over 100 years to the Derry & Strabane District in the North - West of Ireland.
ISLANDMEN PROUDLY DISTILLING THE SPIRIT OF TRADITION
At the end of the eighteenth century, this corner of the north Atlantic was a hive of illicit distillation; however, changes to the law favoured legal distilleries, and small illegal stills began to die out.
In 1815, Alexander Stewart became the first man to open a legal distillery in Derry, where he produced 85,000 gallons of malt whiskey a year. By 1836 the combined production of whiskey from Derry’s legal distilleries amounted to 350,000 gallons. During this time, Irish whiskey enjoyed great success, exporting globally recognised brands around the world.
In 1839 David Watt secured full ownership of the Abbey Street distillery; the largest distillery in Ireland at the time. The introduction of the Coffey still – under the supervision of its inventor Aeneas Coffey – increased output to two million gallons a year. Unfortunately, however, this great period for Irish Whiskey, and Derry in particular, wouldn’t last.
2021 marks the 100th anniversary of the Watt lockout in Derry, which effectively ended a golden era of whiskey production in the region.
The Watt Distillery’s downward spiral began in 1915 when it was declared that grain whiskey had to be laid down or matured for a minimum of three years; this contributed to the closure of many distilleries in the area as it effectively robbed them of cashflow and added to cost by imposing a three-year period where the whiskey had to be stored. The 1921 lockout, and subsequent closure of the Watt distillery, resulted in the loss of three hundred jobs and had a catastrophic impact on Irish Whiskey distilling.
One hundred years on, and we have revived the traditional whiskey production of this region. We are passionate about maintaining the long history of independent, traditional and craft distilleries in Ireland, particularly in Co. Tyrone where we are based. Our 1921 Release honours the past by raising a glass to the future with our New Premium Irish Whiskey crafted in the traditional spirit of our predecessors.
The Islandmen
Brian & Jim
Lottery Draw
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Don't miss this rare opportunity to own a bottle of our Inaugural Release, Single Malt Irish Whiskey. This Single Cask #001 has only 380 +/- bottles available, your name will be entered into a lottery for a chance to be among the select few who can claim this exclusive release. Register now to be part of a celebration that revives a century-old tradition.
