Alcohol Archives - Macaloney's Island Distillery & Twa Dogs Brewery

Gaelic Origins Collection

Our Gaelic Origins Tasting Pack includes 5x 50ml samples:

  • An Loy (Previously called Glenloy) – Canada’s Best Single Malt Whisky in the 2022 World Whiskies Awards
  • Killeigh – Canada’s Best Pot Still Whisky in the 2022 World Whiskies Awards
  • Kildara – Silver Medal in the 2022 World Whiskies Awards
  • New Whisky Release – This whisky scored 93 points in the 2022 Whisky Bible. Grab a tasting pack to get a sneak peak or stay tuned for a future newsletter where it will be officially unveiled
  • Peated Mac Na Braiche – The new-make spirit underpinning this product was declared World’s Best in the 2020 World Whiskies Awards

All bottles are 46% ABV and Non-Chill Filtered

Glenloy

This is an exclusive collectable that is being discontinued due to the Scotch Whisky Association settlement

 

The Glenloy is our ‘Whiskymaker’s Signature Selection’ whereby we carefully selected our classic single malt whisky from a combination of 60% 1st-use Bourbon casks for a delicate, clean presentation, 15% from Dr. Swans wonderful Portuguese STR red-wine barriques for pronounced oak and sweet red-berry contribution, and 15% Oloroso / 10% PX Spanish Sherry casks for wonderful, rich and delicate fruit cake and plums. Together they compliment the tropical fruits and creamy presentation of our new-make house style (which garnered a Gold Medal at the prestigious World Whiskies Awards) to create the following tasting notes for this, our inaugural release whisky:

ABV: 46%

750ml bottle

Natural Colour & Non-Chill Filtered

 

Nose: Fruit, floral and Sherry notes followed with oak, vanilla, malt, and sea breeze.

 

Palate: Creamy, caramelized orange, vanilla, potpourri, fruit cake, blackcurrant, honey, wood spices, and lingering oak.

 

 

Our Glenloy whisky has been ‘dressed up’ befitting the quality of the spirit. Each bottle and carton are individually numbered from this limited release. The carton has an image of Vancouver Island that wraps around all four sides, befitting the fact that this is an ‘island whisky’, and in addition to the gold foil and embossing, there are notes encompassing a bit of history, why it was named Glenloy, house character and tasting notes, etc.

Invermallie: Ex-Islay Quarter Cask

New Release!

 

This is an exclusive collectable that is being discontinued due to the Scotch Whisky Association settlement. Note: This whisky is $10 off because it does not have an accompanying carton. 

 

Invermallie is our connoisseurs / collector’s edition. Like the flowing river Mallie, it is an ever-changing series of classic single malt expressions based on unique one-off single casks, or other special selections. With individually numbered bottles, it is sought after by those who appreciate fine whisky.

 

Colour:  
Gorgeous golden straw

 

Nose: 
A subtle Islay switch-up on our classic single malt. The Islay quarter cask’s contribution includes light medicinal notes and the tiniest drop of iodine. When combined with our house style the nose presents lots of fruits including dried apricot, lemon, tangerine and dried ginger. There is an excellent oak presentation from the quarter cask with vanilla, honey, and a hint of pine. Our island distillery adds seaweed notes, while the Islay cask brings in some delicate peat smoke.

 

Palate:
A light touch of Islay-like notes including lovely delicate iodine-medicinal notes that are beautifully complimented and balanced by our tropical fruits, green apple, lemon, dried apricot, and dark orange chocolate. The vanilla and honey are there again with big oak, light peat smoke, and burning wood embers, leading to a dry, oaken, finish with a hint of salt. Superb!

 

ABV: 46%

Natural Colour & Non-Chill Filtered

Invermallie: Moscatel

What is a Moscatel Cask?
Moscatel is a Spanish or Portuguese sweet white wine made from Muscat grapes. Its similar to Italian Moscato but is vinified using a different technique. The result is a sweet, delicate, and floral desert wine. Each sip brings an explosion of flavour.

 

We’ve managed to secure some of these elusive casks from Portugal and have been quietly maturing our whisky in them. This whisky won a Gold at the prestigious World Whiskies Awards! You’ll find a bouquet of floral notes that intermingle gently in the glass. The palate is smooth, subtly sweet, and delicate with more floral notes, honey and a mixture of spices from the European oak.

 

Whiskymaker, Graeme Macaloney, commented:

“The sweet white wine notes from the Moscatel casks make an amazing complement to our house style whisky. Our Moscatel casks are opening up a new direction for our whiskies thanks to the white wine notes and European Quercus robur oak-wood (our other expressions use American Quercus alba oak-wood). It really enhances and uplifts our fruity house-style as noted by Mike Nicolson our semi-retired Scottish Master Distiller. This wood happens to be one of our favourites.”

 

ABV: 46%

Natural Colour & Non-Chill Filtered

Invermallie: Portuguese Re-Charred Red Wine Barrique (700ml)

This is an exclusive collectable that is being discontinued due to the Scotch Whisky Association settlement. Sale ends on March 30th at 11:59 pm.

 

Invermallie is our connoisseurs / collector’s edition. Like the flowing river Mallie, it is an ever-changing series of classic single malt expressions based on unique one-off single casks, or other special selections. With individually numbered bottles, it is sought after by those who appreciate fine whisky.

 

This Invermallie special release comes from a select re-charred red wine barrique imported from Europe. This barrique underwent the Dr. Jim Swan shave-toast-rechar preparation and gives a wonderfully complex nose with red berries, dried fruit, demerara sugar, leather, oak and honey. The palate is creamy and full bodied with layers of tropical fruits, wood spices, brandied dark fruit cake, cigar, cocoa, Maltesers, oats and honey. The finish is long with dried fruit and lingering oak.

 

This whisky won Canada’s Best Single Cask Single Malt at the the World Whiskies Awards 2020.

 

ABV: 46%

700ml bottle

Natural Colour & Non-Chill Filtered

Invermallie: Re-Charred Portuguese Red Wine Barrique (with Custom Label)

Custom Label Information (please read before ordering): We use pre-printed labels templates which means that there is a limited amount of space to add a graphic or text. Please see the label image with the blue box. In this area we can add text, pictures, logos, or artwork. We recommend keeping text to a minimum or using a single image or graphic because of the limited space.

Please email your graphic or text to info@macaloneydistillers.com and provide your name and order number so we can match your email with your purchase.

 

Note: the red outline around the label is not printed

 

This Invermallie special release comes from a select re-charred red wine barrique imported from Europe. This barrique underwent the Dr. Jim Swan shave-toast-rechar preparation and gives a wonderfully complex nose with red berries, dried fruit, demerara sugar, leather, oak and honey. The palate is creamy and full bodied with layers of tropical fruits, wood spices, brandied dark fruit cake, cigar, cocoa, Maltesers, oats and honey. The finish is long with dried fruit and lingering oak.

Invernahaven

This is an exclusive collectable that is being discontinued due to the Scotch Whisky Association settlement. Orders containing this whisky are expected to begin shipping on March 2nd.

 

Invernahaven is our salute to the great Sherried whiskies from the banks of the river Spey. This award-winning Vancouver Island distilled  classic single malt spirit was carefully matured in premium Sherry casks from Andalucía in Spain. Our Sherrywood matured whisky is carefully selected from a range of  American (Quercus alba) oak casks previously filled with Oloroso and Pedro Ximénez Sherry. These were married by our Whiskymaker to create a complex red-berry, plum, and oak nose that compliments and enhances the fruit and floral notes of our new-make spirit.

 

On the palate, this Sherried classic single malt has a huge body with a creamy mouthfeel. the plums, raisins, and spices, are complimented by structured tannins and oakwood notes, that ultimately yield to a background of juicy malt barley. The finish and development are long and complex with a symphony of diverse flavours for your personal exploration!

ABV: 46%

Natural Colour & Non-Chill Filtered

Kildara

This island whisky is from our triple distilled single potstill range – triple distilled using only the best unmalted and malted barley available. The patient, yet purposeful, triple distillation produces a complex, layered and balanced new-make spirit. Dr. Swan described our original new-make which trickles off our copper pot stills as “the best that I have tasted in any distillery at this stage, super fruity.” This triple-distillate is even smoother and fruitier!

 

Kildara, our Whiskymaker’s Signature Expression, was married from a select combination of Kentucky Bourbon, Spanish Oloroso, virgin American, and Spanish Pedro Ximénez (PX) casks. The result is a full bodied, triple distilled single potstill, island whisky with pronounced Oloroso and PX notes including dried fruit cake, vanilla crème laced with cinnamon, demerara sugar, and old seasoned leather notes. Abundant tropical fruits include candied orange, dried apricot, figs, ripe blackberries, blackcurrant jam, dried raisins and roasted nuts. The complexity continues with barley, malt and dried hay, butterscotch, milk chocolate, light tobacco and ocean breeze.

 

The palate is velvety-soft, resplendent with full bodied Sherry and tropical fruit. Oatmeal develops to oak spices, coffee, dark chocolate orange, nectarines, stewed plums, blackcurrant, red currant and sultana’s, coming together as sweet dark fruitcake and honey. The finish presents dried fruit with a hint of salt and dulse, lingering oak and more Sherry, ending with hazelnut and almond raspberry pie with a drizzle of dark chocolate.

 

ABV: 46%

750ml bottle

Natural Colour & Non-Chill Filtered

Killeigh

This island whisky is from our triple distilled single potstill range – triple distilled using only the best unmalted and malted barley available. The patient, yet purposeful, triple distillation produces a complex, layered and balanced new-make spirit. Dr. Swan described our original new-make which trickles off our copper pot stills as “the best that I have tasted in any distillery at this stage, super fruity.” This triple-distillate is even smoother and fruitier!

 

Killeigh is a salute to our distillers who love how Kentucky Bourbon wood allows our house style with its plethora of tropical fruits to shine through. Embellished by our Master Whiskymaker with Portuguese moscatel sweet white wine oak casks and virgin American oak casks, the result is a distillers delight.

 

The nose presents cream soda, soft vanilla and oak, with apricot, pear, hints of banana, sweet pea flowers, milled oats and honey. The white wine is delicate and layered with wet coastal forest and sea breeze. The palate is velvety-creamy with more tropical fruits including sweet lychees, mandarin orange, and delicate banana embellished with honey and barley water. Fresh rose petals and a potpourri of dried flowers and wood spice yield to vanilla, oak and coconut with a hint of linseed, nutmeg and cinnamon. The development includes light moscatel white wine, crème fraîche, toasted hazelnut, and sea salt, drying to a long, lingering oak finish. Superb!

 

 

Killeigh won Best Potstill Whisky in Canada at the prestigious 2022 World Whiskies Awards.

 

ABV: 46%

750ml bottle

Natural Colour & Non-Chill Filtered

Kirkinriola: Moscatel Cask

This island whisky is from our triple distilled single potstill range – triple distilled using only the best unmalted and malted barley available. The patient, yet purposeful, triple distillation produces a complex, layered and balanced new-make spirit. Dr. Swan described our original new-make which trickles off our copper pot stills as “the best that I have tasted in any distillery at this stage, super fruity.” This triple-distillate is even smoother and fruitier!

 

This single cask series, Kirkinriola (pronounced ‘kirk-in-riola’), is our connoisseurs / collector’s single-cask edition. Like the passionate, spirited Ulster-Scots, it is an ever-changing series of triple-distilled potstill expressions based on unique one-off single casks, or other special selections. With individually numbered bottles, it is sought after by those who appreciate fine whisky.

 

This triple distilled single potstill, island, whisky was fully matured in a single moscatel sweet white wine barrique made with European oak. The nose is resplendent of Muscat grape, sweet white wine and a well-developed European oak presence including vanilla, honey, and marzipan, walnut and nutmeg. Barley, oatmeal and malted milk yield to abundant tropical fruits including dried apricot, ripe peaches and sultanas.

 

The creamy mouthfeel leads to full bodied moscatel and oak, vanilla beans, dried ginger, ripe cherries, pear, lychees, dried coconut and lemon zest. The juicy barley and malt suggest digestive biscuits layered with treacle, followed by linseed, comfortable leather furniture, walnut, almonds and pecans, with a hint of salt and dry oaken finish. Enjoy!

 

ABV: 46%

750ml bottle

Natural Colour & Non-Chill Filtered

Kirkinriola: Portuguese Re-Charred Red Wine Barrique

This island whisky is from our triple distilled single potstill range – triple distilled using only the best unmalted and malted barley available. The patient, yet purposeful, triple distillation produces a complex, layered and balanced new-make spirit. Dr. Swan described our original new-make which trickles off our copper pot stills as “the best that I have tasted in any distillery at this stage, super fruity.” This triple-distillate is even smoother and fruitier!

 

This single cask series, Kirkinriola (pronounced ‘kirk-in-riola’), is our connoisseurs / collector’s single-cask edition. Like the passionate, spirited Ulster-Scots, it is an ever-changing series of triple-distilled potstill expressions based on unique one-off single casks, or other special selections. With individually numbered bottles, it is sought after by those who appreciate fine whisky.

 

This particular Kirkinriola special release single cask comes from a select Portuguese recharred red wine barrique imported from Europe. This barrique underwent the Dr. Jim Swan shave-toast-rechar (STR) preparation and gives a wonderfully complex nose with apricot, papaya, pears, honey, oats, and sherried fruit cake. The palate is creamy and full bodied with cereal and a symphony of floral and fruit notes including roses, honey, nectarine, papaya, apricot, apples & candied orange. Layered into this are red wine, blackcurrant, wood spices and a lingering oak finish with a hint of sea breeze befitting an island distillery. Enjoy!

 

ABV: 46%

700ml bottle

Natural Colour & Non-Chill Filtered

Oaken Poitín

Traditionally distilled using Irish methods and matured in select STR (shave-toast-rechar) Portuguese red wine barriques, this is the first ever triple-distilled pot still whisky spirit in Canada and one of the first outside of Ireland. Whiskymaker Dr. Graeme Macaloney studied the pot still process in Ireland before recreating it here on Vancouver Island. He then overlaid the maturation expertise learned from the legendary Dr. Jim Swan.

 

Nose: Apricot, papaya, pears, honey, oats and Sherried fruit cake

ABV: 46%

Natural Colour & Non-Chill Filtered

 

Palate:  Full bodied, creamy and smooth, with cereal and a symphony of floral and fruit notes including roses, honey, nectarine, papaya, apricot, apples & candied orange. Layered into this are red wine, blackcurrant, wood spices and a lingering oak finish.

 

ABV: 46%

Origins Tasting Pack – Chapter 5

This tasting pack lets you sample 5 of our different award winning expressions:

 

  1. An Loy – Whiskymaker’s Signature Expression
    • Formerly known as Glenloy. Won Canada’s Best Single Malt Whisky at the World Whiskies Awards in 2021 & 2022
  2. St. Mallie: Portuguese Re-charred Red Wine Barrique – Single Malt Whisky, Matured in Premium Portuguese Red Wine Barriques
    • Formerly known as Invermallie Portuguese Re-charred Red Wine Barrique. Won Canada’s Best Single Cask Single Malt at the the World Whiskies Awards 2020
  3. Searaidh Braiche – Single Malt Spirit matured in Premium Spanish Oloroso & Pedro Ximénez  Casks
    • The new make underpinning this single malt spirit won Canada’s Best New Make at the World Whiskies Awards in 2019
  4. Oaken Potstill – Triple Distilled Pot-Still Spirit matured in Premium Kentucky Ex-Bourbon Casks
    • The new make underpinning this triple distilled pot-still spirit won Canada’s Best New Make at the World Whiskies Awards in 2021
  5. Peated Mac Na Braiche – Peated Single Malt Spirit matured in Premium Portuguese Red Wine Barriques
    • The new make underpinning this peated single malt spirit won World’s Best New Make at the World Whiskies Awards in 2020

 

ABV: 46%

Contains 5 x 50ml Bottles

Natural Colour & Non-Chill Filtered

Peated Mac Na Braiche – 750ml

The new-make underpinning this single malt took “World’s Best” at the prestigious 2020 World Whiskies Awards. This is the first single malt outside of Islay to use Canadian barley peat-smoked to 54 ppm at the distillery in a proprietary soaker-smoker. Whiskymaker Dr. Graeme Macaloney studied the traditional peat-smoking process in Islay, recreating it here on Vancouver Island. Matured in Portuguese red wine barriques.

 

Nose: Medium peat smoke, wood ash, floral notes, fruit, heather, lemongrass, juicy malt, nutmeg & cinnamon

 

Palate: Creamy, very smooth and pleasantly warming. Big peat with waves of peat smoke, heather brush fire, wood ash, and tropical fruits. Finishes with floral nectar, a dry malt sweetness, coconut milk hint of salt and lingering smoke.

 

ABV: 46%

Natural Colour & Non-Chill Filtered

Searaidh Braiche

Here it is! Our first ever Sherry-matured single malt. This single malt spirit is not merely ‘finished’ in Sherry casks but is matured from start to finish in a combination of Oloroso and Pedro Ximenez STR casks. STR stands for Shave Toast Rechar as developed by the late great Dr. Jim Swan. It made our Mac na Braiche and Invermallie STR the huge successes that they are. Now, thanks to our Spanish cooperage in Jerez, we have Sherry STR barriques (225L) that infuse robust oak notes, better oxygenation, and charcoal filtering to round off the massive Sherry-bomb notes one expects from Oloroso and PX matured single malts.

The classic single malt spirit underpinning this Searaidh Braiche spirit won gold at the 2019 World Whiskies Awards for best newmake in Canada and top 2 in the World. The Searaidh Braiche also won a gold medal in the 2021 John Barleycorn Awards.

Tasting Notes:  This classic sherried single malt spirit has a rich body and creamy mouthfeel. The plums, raisins, tropical fruit and wood spices are complemented by structured tannins and oak, that ultimately yield to a background of juicy malt barley. The finish and development are complex with a hint of sea salt and symphony of sherry and tropical fruit notes.

ABV: 46%

Natural Colour & Non-Chill Filtered