Dunvilles Three Crowns Sherry Cask Finish

Dunville's initially began as a tea and spirits merchant company based in Belfast, founded by John Dumville, though the spelling was changed to Dunville in 1825. However, it soon ditched the tea and became largely successful as an Irish whiskey blender, and in 1869 built its own distillery, the Royal Irish Distilleries. At its peak, the distillery had a capacity of over 2.5 million gallons per annum, making it amongst the largest in the country. When the last heir and chairman Robert Dunville died in 1931, the company began to flounder, and in 1936 Dunville & Co. was liquidated.

However, the story doesn't end there. In 2013, the Echlinville distillery acquired the Dunville's name and in the following years, it would relaunch the brand, including its famous Three Crowns.

- From the website -

The Echlinville Distillery in Newtownards is Ireland's first farm distillery. We craft our spirits from the ground up, on land we have farmed for generations. Every drop is trickle pot distilled to perfection from barley sown, grown, harvested and malted by hand on our family farm.

Our barley crops are nurtured by the unique micro-climate of the Ards Peninsula. The area's unique topography, temperate climate, rich soil and saline air have long been credited with making this place one of the finest grain growing regions in Ireland. Where better then to build Ireland's first field to glass distillery.

Our premium whiskey, gin and poitín are distilled from barley that we malt the old fashioned way on the distillery malting floor. Every grain is repeatedly dampened, dried and turned by hand and shovel in the way our whiskey forefathers would have done. It's hard work and it takes time, but we believe in doing things the right way rather than the easy way.

The heart of whiskey may be grain and oak, but the soul of any spirit is its connection to the place where it is made. We are proud of our roots in the Ards Peninsula and proud to be one of the first new whiskey distilleries in Ireland. That pride of place is the essence of everything we do.

Dunville's Three Crowns is a historic brand of Irish whiskey which has been revived by Echlinville distillery.

Nose: Very gentle, floral, sweet and juicy. Orchard fruits intertwined with nutty caramel, nougat and powerful butterscotch overtones.

Palate: The initial sweetness from the malt gives way to light citrus fruits, orange, lemon, green apples, pepper and clove. The wood spice and lovely oak tannins firm up this whiskey before the oloroso sherry casks take the final curtain.

Finish: Orchard fruits and caramels give way as subtle notes of walnut, nougat, vanilla and dried fruits come through in the soft lingering finish.