Rare spirit from the Mournes proves a winner with top Irish food writers

Created by the award-winning Mourne Dew Distillery in Warrenpoint, Pooka Hazelnut Poitin has been named this year’s Best Drink in the annual food and drink awards of the Dublin-based Irish Food Writers’ Guild, a membership organisation comprising many of the island’s leading and highly influential food and drink writers and journalists.

The vote by the food experts follows an earlier move by internationally acclaimed London chef Clare Smyth, who is originally from Glenarm in Co Antrim, to blend the hazelnut poitin in a unique Pippin cocktail at the celebrated Core by Clare Smyth, her three-star Michelin restaurant and acclaimed Whiskey and Seaweed Bar in plush Kensington.

Since 2017, Mourne Dew has been synonymous with quality and innovation in the art of beverage creation.

As well as poitin, the historic spirit from the Mournes for generations, the distillery produces Kilbroney and Rostrevor gins, which have won a host of quality awards, as well as vodka and two whiskeys.

The company, the first legal distillery in the Mournes for centuries, has also and recently launched developed a blended Irish whiskey, made from a blend of barley, wheat and rye spirits matured in a combination of virgin oak and bourbon oak casks and hot on its heels, a beautiful single malt whiskey.

The distillery says: “Our gold medal poitins and gins have been recognised as superlative drinks in their own right.

Being used to create a cocktail by Clare Smyth is a marvellous boost for the spirit. The launch of our whiskeys sees the Mourne Dew Distillery expand into exciting new areas.

“Our triple distilled blended Irish whiskey, made from malted barley and grain spirit, has been matured in a mixture of virgin oak and bourbon casks and contains a small percentage of rye and peated malt to give added complexity and richness to the liquor.”

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