Killowen Releases Contours Rye Irish Whiskey from Column Still
Here is a first worth knowing about: Killowen's newest Contours of Killowen bottling is the first whiskey the distillery has put through its hybrid column still, which is named Columbanus. Cask KD#203 is a rye Irish whiskey that spent its entire maturation in a Cab Sav cask, and it goes on sale today, Wednesday 21st October, at 4pm Killowen time. It is the latest step in the distillery's micro batch experimental series, and this one is a whiskey rather than one of the other spirits the series has covered.
Did You Know?
Cask KD#203 is the first whiskey from Killowen's hybrid column still, Columbanus.
A hybrid column still combines elements of two distilling designs, which gives a distiller extra control over the style of spirit.
The whiskey is a rye, and it is matured fully in a Cab Sav (Cabernet Sauvignon) cask rather than being finished in one at the end.
The Release
The Contours of Killowen series is described by the distillery as a micro batch experimental journey, and Cask KD#203 is the next edition. The distillery says this is not just any kind of whiskey, and the details back that up. It is a rye Irish whiskey, distilled in the hybrid column still Columbanus and matured fully in a Cab Sav cask.
Killowen says the release shows the balance that can be struck between spirit and cask. A column still usually produces a lighter, cleaner spirit than a pot still, so pairing it with a red wine cask is an interesting test of how much character each side brings.
According to the distillery, the nose offers blueberry and strawberry tart or pie, with a slight lemon zest over almond paste. The palate brings mixed berry jam and cherry Bakewell, especially the almond and glazed cherry part. The finish is shortbread with raspberry and blueberry compote.
The sources do not give an age, strength or bottle count. The whiskey is priced at £65 (about $87) and sold through the distillery's own website. The release is aimed at the UK and Ireland, and no US release has been announced.
The Story of Killowen
Killowen is a small craft distillery in Rostrevor, County Down, Northern Ireland. The Contours of Killowen series is where the team shares its experiments, with each edition a small run drawn from an individual cask. The cask number in the name, KD#203 here, tells you exactly which barrel the whiskey came from.
The addition of Columbanus, the hybrid column still, gives the distillery another way to make whiskey alongside its existing production. This release is the first public look at what that still can do, which is why Irish whiskey fans will be watching it closely.
The Details
Style: Rye Irish whiskey, column still
Cask/Finish: Cab Sav (Cabernet Sauvignon) cask, full term maturation
Release Size: Micro batch, Cask KD#203
Price (SRP): £65 (about $87)
Availability: Sold online through the Killowen Distillery website
US Availability: No US release has been announced
Release Date: Wednesday 21st October, 4pm Killowen time
Tonights Poison Take
A first-run column still rye matured wholly in red wine wood is the kind of experiment that makes small distilleries fun to follow. The berry and almond notes the distillery describes suggest the cask has plenty to say without drowning the spirit. Micro batch releases like this tend to go quickly, so anyone interested should be ready at 4pm.
Bar Talk: This is the first whiskey Killowen has ever run through its Columbanus column still, and it spent its whole life in a Cab Sav cask.
Send this to the Irish whiskey fan who loves a good experiment, and tell us in the comments what you think of a rye matured in wine wood.
Please enjoy responsibly.
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