An Irish whiskey for me to try today. Dunville Irish whiskey is relatively new to South Africa, and I have not yet tasted anything from this Northern Ireland-based distillery. I received three different Danville samples from Truman & Orange, and I loved the packaging on this Dunville’s PX Cask 12 year old single malt Irish whiskey, so I decided to try it first.
The Dunville Company initially began as a tea and spirits merchant company based in Belfast, founded by John Dumville. He soon ditched the tea portion and became successful as an Irish whiskey blender, and in 1869 built his own distillery, the Royal Irish Distilleries. The distillery occupied an impressive four-storey red-brick building and was amongst the most modern in Ireland.
Prohibition in the USA caused Dunville to lose access to its most important market. And when the last heir and chairman of Dunville, Robert Lambart Dunville, died in 1931, the company was liquidated.
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In 2013, almost 80 years after the last Dunville’s spirits was distilled, the Echlinville distillery revived the Dunville’s brand and began distilling it at their farm distillery in the Ards Peninsula. Before they began distilling their own, they purchased spirits elsewhere and finished them in their own warehouse.
Dunville’s core range features the Dunville’s PX 12 year old single malt, Dunville’s Three Crowns Vintage blend and Dunville’s Three Crowns Peated – one of only a small handful of peated Irish whiskeys.
The Dunville’s PX 12 year old whiskey from Dunville’s Very Rare range has been matured exclusively in Pedro Ximénez casks.
Dunville’s PX Cask 12 year old Whiskey Review
COUNTRY: Ireland
ABV: 46%
COLOUR: Reddish gold
NOSE: Fresh-cut grass and pine needles with elegant pepper and bits of oak. Sultanas and sherry notes with a creamy undertone. Lovely and inviting.
PALATE: Baking spice and oak with dry fruit sweetness. Vanilla and hints of Christmas cake mixed with baked Granny Smith apples, lemon peel and black pepper. Medium body with a bit of alcohol heat.
The sherry comes through soft and elegant, and not overwhelming. It is lovely without water. Water softens the alcohol heat but also brings more pepper and pectin spice to the front.
FINISH: Medium length with drying oak and soft sherry and pepper notes.
RATING: EXCELLENT
The Dunville’s PX cask 12 year old single malt is smooth and delicious, and very drinkable. Complex enough to entice without losing the accessibility of Irish whiskey.
The Dunville’s range is brought to South Africa by Truman & Orange, a premium drinks company seeking to bring greater choice to the South African spirits landscape. They also have Highland Park, Sexton whisky and The Naked Range in their portfolio.
The Dunville’s whiskey range is available at WhiskyShop and Whiskybrother&Co and also online at Cutlerdrinks.
Sample disclosure: I received this whisky from the Truman & Orange team. The review and tasting notes are my own honest, fair and independent thoughts about the whiskey.
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