McAllister Family behind Ahascragh Distillery launch inaugural whiskey and gin brands

McAllister Irish Spirits have been in the news recently having announced a brand new distillery project in Ahascragh in County Galway. Now McAllister Spirits are back with the first release of their inaugural whiskey expressions and signature gin.

Husband and wife team, Michelle and Gareth McAllister are the couple behind McAllister spirits. They have the privilage of calling both Europe and Asia home, and have brought some of their Asian experiences back to Ireland with the creation of their signature ‘Xin Gin’. The word itself means ‘heart’ or ‘feelings’ in Mandarin. The design of the bottle, with ancient celtic swirls contrasted with a modern eastern aesthetic reflects the liquid inside – a perfect balance of European and Oriental botanicals. The cross shaped label represents a promise to stay connected and a crossing point of the two cultures.

Michelle describes her gin as “a juniper-led dry gin with fresh citrus notes of orange zest and lemongrass combined with the exotic taste of the Asian fruit, persimmon, held by an earthy, herbaceous undertone of dill and cinnamon spice.”

Xin Gin has an RRP of €50.00 and is available from Xingin.ie.

In the world of whiskey, the McAllisters have revived Clan Colla whiskey brand. Gareth McAllister explains that it was “a whiskey brand from the 1800’s that was produced by the McAllister family. However, at the turn of the century, the fall of Irish whiskey took Clan Colla with it. Now, McAllister Irish Spirits are it.”

The McAllister family have two whiskeys in their inaugural Clan Colla range:

The 19 Year Old Single Malt, which was distilled in 2001 has been released in limited quantities. This sourced whiskey spent 19 years in first fill Bourbon casks, before being finished in Oloroso sherry butts. Bottled at 46% ABV, the tasting notes boast “flavours of creamy smooth caramel, dried fruit, nuttiness, vanilla, and chocolate orange. A long and sophisticated finish with a final release of the full-bodied flavours.”
RRP: €200.00

Their 11 Year Old Blend is a combination of malt and grain whiskeys. This double distilled malt has blended with grain, and triple casked in ex Bourbon Barrels, Oloroso Sherry Butts and Peated Casks. These tasting notes state “A fantastically rich whiskey with honey sweetness combined with salted citrus and sherry notes. Finishes deep and rounded with a wisp of peat smoke.”

RRP: €80.00