Dingle Single Malt Irish Whiskey 700 ml

Dingle Distillery opened in 2012 on the far southwest coast of Ireland — the first new distillery built in West Ireland in 150 years, and one of the true pioneers of the modern Irish whiskey craft renaissance. The distillery's earliest whiskey arrived in December 2015, followed by a genuinely devoted run of small, limited-batch releases over the following years. This bottle marks the moment that changed: released in 2020, Dingle Single Malt became the distillery's first-ever permanent, year-round core whiskey — a genuine milestone after nearly a decade of anticipation from fans who'd been chasing individual limited batches.

The whiskey is triple distilled, made entirely from 100% unpeated Irish malted barley sourced from Minch Malt and the Malting Company of Ireland, run through three specially built copper pot stills — a 5,000-liter wash still, a 3,500-liter intermediate still, and a 2,500-liter spirit still, each fitted with reflux balls and long lyne arms specifically to maximize copper contact and purity. Water is drawn from the distillery's own well, 70 meters below ground. The whiskey matures entirely in first-fill casks — a combination of Pedro Ximénez sherry and ex-bourbon barrels, with the exact ratio shifting modestly from batch to batch (recent releases have run anywhere from roughly 39% to 61% PX sherry, always married with the remainder in bourbon wood) — containing predominantly 5-to-7-year-old spirit, though no official age statement is printed on the label. Bottled non-chill filtered, with no added colour.

The critical and community reception has been genuinely extensive and, on balance, very positive. Malt Review's independent writer was frank about his own surprise: "I am genuinely surprised by this whiskey. At £49, this is a must. Considering the age of this single malt, and that it is Dingle's first ever core expression, it is fantastic... this isn't a rushed release in response to the current state of the market: this is a whiskey that has been developed through lessons learned and released by Dingle only once they were happy with it." The Whiskey Wash's review found "a creamy, mellow, and supple mix of vanilla, posh dark chocolate, sherried dried fruit, and the prickling of aromatic spice from anise, clove, and nutmeg," with "toffee, homemade apple pie, toasted almonds, and lime zest" running throughout. Forbes' coverage, part of a roundup of top-rated Irish whiskeys according to The Whisky Exchange, described "a flavorful and complex nose, featuring pine aromas, chalky minerality, charcoal and smoke, pronounced notes of citrus peel, and the typical PX notes of raisin, fig, and date," smooth and robust on the palate "with an oily, viscous character and a pronounced mouth weight." Drinkhacker's independent review was a bit more measured: "light bodied and impressively approachable, it's also a bit restrained, with most of the complexity delivered up front and dissolved into an easy finish showcasing subtle notes of dark raisin and cinnamon sugar. For Dingle's first mass market offering, there's plenty to admire." The Whiskey Reviewer took a genuinely more critical, honest angle, calling the profile an "acquired taste" — deep, dark, and earthy rather than bright, with a notable grapefruit sourness on first taste. The official house tasting notes describe lime zest, chopped mint, and sweet pear on the nose, developing into caramelised apple, raisins, and vanilla on the palate, closing long with honey sweetness and mixed spice. This is a whiskey with real substance behind its genuine craft-distillery origin story.

Origins & Craftsmanship

Dingle Single Malt Irish Whiskey is produced at Dingle Distillery, founded in 2012 in County Kerry — the first new distillery built in West Ireland in 150 years, and one of the pioneers of Ireland's modern craft distilling movement. Following years of small, limited-batch whiskey releases dating to December 2015, Dingle released this single malt in 2020 as its first-ever permanent, year-round core whiskey expression.

The whiskey is triple distilled from 100% unpeated Irish malted barley, sourced from Minch Malt and the Malting Company of Ireland, run through three purpose-built copper pot stills fitted with reflux balls and long lyne arms to maximize copper contact and purity. Water is drawn from the distillery's own well, 70 meters below ground. The whiskey matures entirely in first-fill casks — Pedro Ximénez sherry and ex-bourbon barrels — with the specific blending ratio adjusted modestly from batch to batch, comprising predominantly 5-to-7-year-old spirit. Under Master Distiller Graeme Coull, the whiskey is bottled non-chill filtered with no added colour, at 46.3% ABV / 92.6 proof.

Critics Reviews

Gold Medal — Irish Whiskey Masters (The Spirits Business), 2021 and 2022

Gold Medal — San Francisco World Spirits Competition

Gold Medal — TAG Global Spirits Awards

Whisky Advocate 92 Points: "The flagship Dingle is just a great whiskey to lose yourself in. The nose has honey on wheat toast, brown sugar, orange, lime, malt, dried fruit, golden sultana, and gentle oak spices. It tastes of cinnamon breakfast cereal, golden syrup, toast, vanilla, and peppercorn, with creamy malt, hazelnut, toffee, and dried fruits as it opens up. A smooth finish with cinnamon, nutmeg, and a hint of espresso."--Jonny McCormick

Malt Review (extended independent review):
"I am genuinely surprised by this whiskey. At £49 (€55 from Dingle), this is a must. Considering the age of this single malt, and that it is Dingle's first ever core expression, it is fantastic. Graeme Coull and his team at Dingle clearly knew what they were doing with this. The ABV is perfect for the whiskey. It is complex, but not overly so. This isn't a rushed release in response to the current state of the market: this is a whiskey that has been developed through lessons learned and released by Dingle only once they were happy with it."

The Whiskey Wash (extended independent review):
"A creamy, mellow, and supple mix of vanilla, posh dark chocolate, sherried dried fruit, and the prickling of aromatic spice from anise, clove, and nutmeg. Throughout there's toffee, homemade apple pie, toasted almonds, and lime zest."

Forbes / The Whisky Exchange (extended coverage):
"The whiskey offers a flavorful and complex nose, featuring pine aromas, chalky minerality, charcoal/smoke, pronounced notes of citrus peel, and the typical PX notes of raisin, fig, and date. It's smooth and robust on the palate with an oily, viscous character and a pronounced mouth weight."

Drinkhacker (extended independent review):
"Light bodied and impressively approachable, it's also a bit restrained with most of the complexity delivered up front and dissolved into an easy finish showcasing subtle notes of dark raisin and cinnamon sugar. For Dingle's first mass market offering, there's plenty to admire."

The Whiskey Reviewer (extended independent review):
"This is a very potent smelling single malt. The first notable scent you get from Dingle is licorice. There is a very pronounced hit of anise. This is followed by citrus notes that pair nicely with the earthy tones of dark chocolate. The first thing I notice to the taste is very obvious grapefruit sourness. I wouldn't call the profile in Dingle 'bright,' and I think this might be what put me off at first. This is a very deep, dark whiskey that relies on heavy, earthy tones to carry it, and as such I might call it more of an acquired taste."

WhiskyNotes (extended independent review):
"Nose: plenty of young, malty notes, with hints of vanilla and a lot of grains or wholegrain bread. Light citrus and pear. Over time these are joined by blackcurrant notes."

Dingle Distillery / official tasting notes:
"Aroma: Lime zest, chopped mint, sweet pear. Palate: Caramelised apple, raisins, vanilla. Finish: Long, with honey sweetness and mixed spice."

Tasting Profile

Nose
Lime zest, chopped mint, and sweet pear lead, joined by honey, blueberries, raisins, and dried apricots. Vanilla and dark chocolate add depth, with a touch of mint, kiwi, cinnamon, and nutmeg, alongside pine aromas and chalky minerality.

Palate
Caramelised apple, raisins, and vanilla carry the entry, developing into rich PX sherry character — fig, date, and dried fruit — balanced by toffee, toasted almonds, and creamy malt. Some tasting finds a deep, earthy character with notable grapefruit sourness and dark chocolate bitterness.

Finish
Long, with honey sweetness and mixed spice, closing on cinnamon sugar and dark raisin. Oily and viscous, with a pronounced mouth weight reflecting the whiskey's PX sherry-forward maturation.

Quick Overview

Food Pairings

• Dark chocolate and fruitcake
• Aged cheddar
• Grilled or smoked meats
• Dried fruit and nut boards

The bottle ships with no "tube" or other decorative packaging.