In 1966, Mark Edwin Andrews and his wife Lavone´ purchased Knappogue Castle in County Clare. As they renovated the structure, Mark Andrews amassed a collection of rare single malt Irish whiskey, which he privately bottled and named Knappogue Castle 1951 after the historic building. He focused primarily on the whiskeys once produced at the B. Daly Distillery in County Offaly, which ceased whiskey production in 1954. The castle was purchased by Shannon Development in 1996, and is now a venue for weddings and banquets. In 1998, his son, Mark Edwin Andrews III, launched Great Spirits LLC, which made Knappogue Castle 1951 available to the public. In 1999, the company introduced vintage-dated single malts, under the same brand name. In 2003, the Great Spirits was merged into Castle Brands Inc, and in 2010, Castle Brands introduced Knappogue Castle 12 Year Old Single Malt. Knappogue continues to source its whiskey from other distilleries including the Cooley Distillery.
Variants
Knappogue Castle has several different products it releases under the Knappogue brand name.
Knappogue Castle 12 Year Old Single Malt: Marketed as a “super premium” Irish single-malt, Knappogue Castle is distilled three times, and adds no color to its final product. It is aged in bourbon barrels for 12 years before bottling. 80 proof.
Knappogue Castle 14 Year Old Twin Wood: A blend of Irish single malt aged 14 years in bourbon casks, and Irish single malt aged in Olorososherry casks. 92 proof.
Knappogue Castle 16 Year Old Twin Wood: Aged for 14 years in bourbon casks, then aged for 21 months in Oloroso sherry casks. 80 proof
Knappogue Castle 1951: Often described as “the oldest and rarest single malt Irish whiskey in the world,” the whiskey was distilled in 1951 and aged in sherry casks for 36 years, before being bottled in 1987.
Knappogue Castle 1949: "A Very Special Reserve of Unblended Pot Still Pure Malt, 30 Years of Age, Put down in 1949, Bottled in Bond in 1981. Produced for the Hon. Mark Edwin Andrews." this release is older than the 1951 and much more rare.
Reviews
Knappogue Castle Whiskey is generally well received. Drinkspirits.com called Knappogue Castle 12 Year Old “a perfect example of a great Irish whiskey that manages to capture a great deal of flavor and complexity from the malted barley and present them in a light and affable manner.” In 2014, Knappogue received a rating of 92 at the Ultimate Beverage Challenge.
