Sliabh Liag Distillers

Sliabh Liag Distillers set out to reclaim the almost lost distilling heritage of County Donegal in 2016, and since then, Donegal’s first legal distillers in almost 180 years have gone from strength to strength. Employing 12 people at their distillery and operational hub in Carrick in the shadow of Sliabh Liag; the past year has seen them produce and donate hand-sanitiser to the hospitals and care homes of Donegal, while opening distribution in the Americas, Sweden and France. They’ve also been busy building their new €6.5m distillery in the village of Ardara, which will be in production by autumn, and they have been picking up a few prestigious awards for their spirits along the way.

All the Sliabh Liag spirits have a unique sense of place and time and are inspired by the history, folklore and wild elemental landscape of Ireland’s most northerly county, all carrying a signature softness.

Moira’s “love letter from the Donegal coast” - An Dúlamán Irish Maritime Gin has at its heart five locally harvested seaweeds and is distilled in tiny batches, in their 500 litre Copper pot still (Méabh -she who intoxicates). An Dúlamán is a bright, refreshing and savoury gin capturing “draíocht na farraige”, or the magic of the sea and was awarded a highly prized gold medal at the 2021 San Francisco World Spirits Competition.

Inspired by the mermaid legends of the Silkie seals, The Legendary Silkie Irish Whiskeys have been expertly blended as stepping-stones to the rich smoky style of Irish whiskey once synonymous with Donegal. The Legendary Silkie has the merest hint of peated single malt in the blend, while Dark Silkie, released just last May, has 15% peated malt and is a super-soft blend with a salted caramel sweetness wrapped in a dry smoke blanket. Both Silkie and Dark Silkie were awarded the title of “Best Irish Blended Whiskey” in 2021 from The World Whiskeys Awards and 2021 San Francisco World Spirits Competition respectively.

Creating opportunity for all of Donegal is a focus for Sliabh Liag Distillers and while they will sadly remain closed for tours in the summer of

2021 they have been distilling the first whiskies in the county since 1841 alongside their gins and vodka. 2022 promises much brighter times with the new Ardara Distillery completed and a chance to see the scale of ambition that drove them to reclaim the distilling heritage of Donegal.

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