Thursday 23rd October 2014 saw the second holding of the annual Irish Whiskey Awards. Building on the success of the inaugural awards in 2013 the event took place in the Old Kilbeggan Distillery and was expanded to include several new categories such as best 'Irish Liqueur' and best 'Whiskey Barrel Aged Irish Beer'.
Guests were welcomed to some excellent new O’Hara’s craftbeers and Kilbeggan Cocktails by the very talented winner of Tales of the Cocktail International Bartender of the Year 2013, Jack McGarry from the Dead Rabbit Bar in New York. Following that a tour of the distillery commenced and attendees were delighted to see the old steam engine getting fired up (an event that usually happens just once a year).
Our very own Ally Alpine got the night started by introducing Aiofe Keane of the Irish Whiskey Association who was also at hand to present some of the awards. Along with Aoife there was also representation for the Irish Whiskey Society by Peter White. It should be pointed out that the Irish Whiskey Society were instrumental in the voting process for the awards along with members of the Celtic Whiskey Club. All tasting was done blind, with voters only being told the category that the chosen samples were listed in.
After some quick words it was down to announcing the winners, and here they are!
Irish Poitin Of The Year
WINNER: Teeling Whiskey Company Poitin
GOLD MEDALS: Glendalough Poitin and Glendalough Mountain Strength
Irish Single Grain Whiskey Of The Year
WINNER: Teeling Whiskey Company Single Grain
GOLD MEDAL: Greenore Single Grain
Blended Irish Whiskey Under €60
WINNER: Powers 12 Year Old Special Reserve
GOLD MEDALS: Tullamore Dew Phoenix and Tullamore Dew 12 Year Old
Blended Irish Whiskey Over €60
WINNER: Jameson Gold Reserve
GOLD MEDALS: Irishman Cask Strength and Midleton Very Rare 2014
Irish Single Malt of the Year (12 years old and under)
WINNER: Jack Ryans 12 Year OId
GOLD MEDALS: Tyrconnell Madeira Finish and Knappogue Castle 12 Year Old
Irish Single Malt of the Year (13 years old and over)
WINNER: Teeling 21 Year Old Vintage Reserve 
GOLD MEDALS: Knappogue Castle 14 Year Old and Bushmills 21 Year Old
Irish Single Pot Still Whiskey of the Year
WINNER: Redbreast 21 Year Old
GOLD MEDALS: Midleton Barry Crockett and Redbreast 15 Year Old
Irish Cask Strength Whiskey Of The Year
WINNER: Redbreast 12 Year Old Cask Strength
GOLD MEDAL: Writers Tears Cask Strength
Irish Single Cask Whiskey Of The Year
WINNER: Celtic Cask Naoi
GOLD MEDAL: Celtic Cask Sé
Irish Barrel Aged Beer Of The Year
WINNER: Franciscan Well Jameson Stout
GOLD MEDALs: O'Hara's Leann Follain and Franciscan Well Pale Ale
Irish Liqueur
WINNER: Coole Swan Cream Liqueur
GOLD MEDALS: Muldoon Liqueur and Celtic Honey Liqueur
Overall Irish Whiskey Of The Year
Redbreast 21 Year Old
Best Irish Whiskey Bar, Leinster
WINNER: The Palace Bar
GOLD MEDAL: L Mulligan Grocer and Bowes, Fleet St
Best Irish Whiskey Bar, Connaught
WINNER: Garavans
GOLD MEDALS: The Salt House and Lowrys, Clifden
Best Irish Whiskey Bar, Munster
WINNER: Dick Mack's, Dingle
GOLD MEDALS: Folkhouse, Kinsale and O'Loclainn's, Ballyvaughan
Best Irish Whiskey Bar, Ulster
WINNER: Duke of York, Belfast
GOLD MEDALS: John Hewitt's, Bittles and The Hudson Bar
Best International Bar
WINNER: Whiskey and Alement, Australia
GOLD MEDALS: Dead Rabbit Grocery and Grogg, New York and The Whiskey Jar, Manchester
Overall Irish Whiskey Bar of the Year
WINNER: Dick Mack's, Dingle
