New lease of life for 1000-year old giant oak

A thousand-year-old wild Irish oak tree toppled by a storm is set to be resurrected as rare Irish oak casks.

In a unique project between Drogheda-based Boann Distillery and Kentucky Bourbon Barrel cooperage in Kildare, the storm-felled oak, with a 10-metre girth, will be transformed into barrels that will age and produce Preston’s brand of Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey.

The Preston family, who reside on Swainstown Farm in KIlmessan, where the ancient tree once stood tall, are descendants of the renowned Preston’s of Drogheda, - operators of a major whiskey bonding business for almost a century from 1886.

“It is extremely rare that Irish oak is used to craft casks, making this a unique project,” said Peter Cooney of Boann Distillery.

“The idea was first mooted six years ago after I told Arthur Preston about our plans to revive the trademark ‘Preston’s Whiskey’ brand, using an old whiskey recipe dating back to the late 19th century.”

“We made a deal that, in return for the casks I gave him for his Swainstown Farm shop, he would let me know when an old Irish Oak tree on his grounds would become available for cutting.

“Arthur had one old tree in mind that had stood in the front paddock of the Preston’s Estate, and when it fell during last December’s Storm Elin I got the call from him to come and check her out.”

A large section cut from the lower body of the tree will now be shipped to a facility in France, where it will be split and made into staves and air-dried for 24 months.

The staves will then be transported back to Kildare where coopers will turn them into 3 to 4 Irish Oak casks before they are filled with a unique mashbill to reproduce Preston’s whiskey.