Copeland Distillery's second permanent release takes the single grain route — a style of Irish whiskey that often gets overlooked in favour of its malt and pot still siblings, but which, done well, offers a creamy, approachable character that has its own rewards. This 5-year-old won Best Single Grain Irish Whiskey Under 12 Years at the World Whiskies Awards in 2025, a deserved recognition.
The whiskey is matured in single-use American bourbon barrels before being finished in a combination of Muscatel and Pedro Ximénez wine casks. The dual wine finish adds a layer of dried fruit sweetness and sticky richness to the naturally creamy grain spirit, while the 46% ABV and the absence of chill filtration give it more body than the typical light-bodied grain whiskey.
The nose is sweet and inviting: vanilla, honey, sweet corn, caramel, coconut, and light oak spice, with caramelised apple, demerara sugar, and marmalade emerging with time. The palate is smooth and creamy — butterscotch, vanilla bean, toasted almonds, light baking spice, and citrus zest — with the wine cask finish adding depth without heaviness.
The finish is medium, with toffee, oak, and gentle spice. It is a whiskey that proves single grain can be more than a blending component — in the right hands, with the right cask programme, it can hold a dram on its own terms. Copeland continues to impress from its Donaghadee harbourside.
