April Top Headlines / Garavogue 20-Year-Old Single Malt Irish Whiskey / By Benedette C. Eze

There’s been much wait. Much anticipation. But now, the time has come to get your taste buds ready for a brand-new libation finally.

Garavogue, a 20-year-old single malt Irish whiskey, the inaugural Irish whiskey from Hawk’s Rock Distillery, has hit the shelves following years of ageing and blending by master blender Helen Mulholland, the first female master blender in Irish whiskey.

And the company behind the release is none other than global spirits giant Sazerac.

The news comes just two months after Sazerac Company officially announced the rebranding of Lough Gill Distillery with Hawk’s Rock, in County Sligo, Ireland.

The name change reflects the company’s dedication to absorbing its location which is within Hazelwood Forest (also known as Hazelwood Demesne) an area between Lough Gill and the Garavogue River.

The name Hawk’s Rock hasn’t been an afterthought though. It was carefully chosen after a prominent outcrop in the Ox Mountains that inspired Nobel Prize-winning poet William Butler (W.B.) Yeats’ play “At the Hawk’s Well”.

LLM – Luxury Lifestyle Magazine was just a couple of UK media publications that had an exclusive behind-the-scenes tour around the distillery in April and sampled the whiskey ahead of the announcement.

We saw first-hand how this limited-release expression offers a rare take on traditional Irish whiskey. And it all comes down to a blend of unexpected and familiar flavours due to its marathon involving multiple types of casks.

The new-to-the-world whiskey is double-distilled and initially aged for a minimum of 14 years in ex-bourbon American oak casks before being transferred into a variety of unique finishing casks

The new-to-the-world whiskey is double-distilled and initially aged for a minimum of 14 years in ex-bourbon American oak casks before being transferred into a variety of unique finishing casks.

These include French Muscat, French Sauternes, Spanish Pedro Ximénez Sherry and Barbadian Rum casks for further maturation.

The result? A 94-proof whiskey with aromas of vanilla, warm peach, and spun sugar from the Sauternes cask influence, while floral and raisin notes come from the Muscat and Sherry casks emerge on the nose.

When it comes to taste, expect vanilla and citrus sweetness complementing ripe apples giving the expression a prominent sweet finish.

“The current trend is for whiskey to have a rich sherry finish, but Garavogue is purposefully different,” says Helen. She added: “We believe that complexity and subtlety can work hand in hand.

It is unusual for a whiskey to be blended with this number and variety of casks, but just as the river ebbs and flows, the flavours create a wonderful blend as they weave together in this 20-year-old single malt.”

The bottle is shaped like a distinctive reversed crescent with a blue label – a nod to the Garavogue River.

The label’s imagery depicts the Hazelwood House Windmill as a tribute to the historical figures who lived and worked along the river’s banks.

Garavogue Whiskey will begin rolling out in limited quantities as of today at a suggested retail price of $199 (700ml) through Sazerac’s distributor networks across the United States, Ireland, United Kingdom and Duty-Free.

The bottle is shaped like a distinctive reversed crescent with a blue label – a nod to the Garavogue River

Hawk’s Rock is the latest to join Sazerac’s takeover portfolios.

The spirits brand, which owns and operates award-winning distilleries, is known for taking over historic sites worldwide, including Buffalo Trace Distillery in Kentucky, Domaine Sazerac de Segonzac in Cognac, France, and Paul John Distillery in Goa, India.

The distillery will continue to produce and age Irish whiskey under the watchful eye of Helen on the over 100-acre site located in County Sligo, Ireland, which includes the nationally listed historic landmark Hazelwood House.

Adding Hawk’s Rock to its portfolio, the company will continue to respect Sligo’s rich heritage while perfecting the art and science of blending. Drawn by its historical significance and Ireland’s cultural richness, Sazerac acquired the Lough Gill Distillery in 2022.

Since then, the team has upgraded and tripled its warehouse capacity, expanded production and is modernising the distillery, ensuring continued growth while maintaining its commitment to quality.

As I took a tour around Hazelwood House on the shores of Lough Gill, Helen told me that Hawk’s Rock Distillery aims to become a global hub for Irish whiskey, while offering a gateway to explore the rich traditions of Sligo and the surrounding region.

She echoed Sazerac President and CEO Jake Wenz’s sentiments as she informed me, that they will continue blending time-honoured traditions with bold innovation to advance the art of Irish whiskey-making.

The distillery will continue to produce and age Irish whiskey under the watchful eye of master blender Helen Mulholland

Helen’s role is an important one in Ireland after taking the title of the first female master blender in Irish whiskey history, chair of the Irish Whiskey Association and a Whisky Hall of Fame inductee. I can see why Helen is at the helm of Hawk’s Rock as she takes us through a tasting of various whiskey impressions, including Garavogue, which is now on sale throughout the UK.

While Hawk’s Rock Distillery is closed to the public during renovations, I took a sneak peek at the work being carried out. Sazerac has received planning permission to develop a future visitor experience in Sligo.

The house consists of a five-bay by three-bay main block in three storeys with two-storey wings on either side connected to the main block. When finished, Lough Gill Distillery hopes to welcome up to 150,000 visitors annually and will create a homeplace for Sazerac’s Irish whiskeys, Paddy and Michael Collins.

Hazelwood belonged to the Wynne family who owned the house and most of the surrounding land for 300 years.

The Wynne’s were an important Sligo family and counted various members of parliament and High Sheriffs. The house was designed by the architect Richard Cassells whose impressive portfolio includes the Irish parliamentary buildings at Leinster House, the Printing House at Trinity College Dublin and Rotunda Hospital.

Hazelwood was a favourite walk of W.B. Yeats and dedicated a poem to it.

Hawk’s Rock is the latest to join Sazerac’s takeover portfolios

As well as visiting the distillery, tourists and locals will have much to explore in the area especially if they like to explore the great outdoors.

There are numerous criss-crossing walking trails at Hazelwood Demesne also known as Hazelwood Forest part of the Wynne Estate. The nature trail itself forms a loop of 3.2km, with multi-access paths and two shorter alternative trails also available. Most of which are flat and easily accessible. The Yeats Trail includes art installations that inspired the poet’s writings including a seating area overlooking Lough Gill at Half Moon Bay,

It’s one of the most beautiful woodlands around Sligo and during my visit this spring, the forest was alive with bluebells and the arrival of an abundance of butterflies.

The plans for Hazelwood Demense are ambitious, but they will be a huge hit for Sligo residents and further afield. Seeing the building in its current dilapidated state, I realise this will take time and patience. But with Sazerac’s impressive 400-year history, I’ve no doubt they will deliver.

For more information, visit hawksrockdistillery.com. To learn more about Sazerac, visit sazerac.com.

Photo credits: Garavogue Irish Whiskey