Grán na hÁite - Harvest 2023
Friends of Irish Whiskey
1/30 Cast Share Exclusive
Extra Fees ----- # Bottling fees - Alcohol Duty - VAT - Shipping #
All fees are due before bottles can be shipped
The Grán na hÁite came about from a chance meeting with a local man who lives in London, but returns regularly to his home here in Carrigart, Donegal. He paid me a visit and I mentioned to him my wish to grow some barley and oats locally for use in the distillery. Luckily he had a field I could sow and he knew the man (Billy) to sow it. We sowed 3\4 of an acre of Oats and harvested 500kg. That small harvest in 2021 set myself and Billy off on sowing 7.5 acres for the 2022 Harvest, 3 acres of Barley, 3 acres of Oat, 1 acre of Distillery barley and 1\2 acre of Rye (eaten by deer). In Munster, barley yields are 3+ tons per acre, East Donegal 2 -2.5 tons per acre and here in Gortnabrade, Carrigart 1-1.5 tons per acre but the low yield is more than out weighted by the unique flavour.
The Grán na hÁite - Harvest 2023 will consist of approximately 13.5 acres with a mix of Barley, Oats and Rye, we will have to see how the harvest goes.
The Harvest of 2023 was a difficult one, we had an extreme drought for 7 weeks, from mid April to early June. 5 acres of Barley was badly effected and didn't germinate correctly so the field was lost. It then rained intensely for 8 weeks in July and August which also badly effected the crops and ultimately resulted in a lower yield.
Unfortunately the Rye crop was not successful again, we planted 1 acres, the crop geminately well but only reaches maturity in early November and we were unable to harvest the crop. We hope to sow the Rye crop early this early in the hopes of getting a standing crop earlier in the autumn which can be harvested. The Donegal climate is showing us the way and to sow close to the farm yard to avoid the deer.
The total mash bill for the Grán na hÁite - Harvest 2023 will be approximately 5 tons of Barley and 3. Tons of Oat. 20-25% of the mash bill will be malted barley which will be malted on site, the malting process takes place in small batches, We expect 1800 - 2200L of spirit to be produced in total. The exact mash bill will be totalled up at the end of distillation.
The 128L Ruby Port Cask is now on it way from the cooperage and should arrive in a few weeks with casking taking place in early to mid March.
The bottling of the Grán na hÁite - 128L Ruby Port cask will be determined by the distillery in conjunction with the administrators of the Friends of Irish Whiskey group. I would expect a 3-5 year timescale for the cask.
The cost of the 1\30th cask share is €220,
Extra costs including bottling costs, alcohol duty, vat and shipping fee's will be payable after the cask is bottled.
Many Thanks to everyone who is purchasing a share in the cask, your support is much appreciated by this small distillery in the Hills of Donegal, I hope you look forward to tasting this whiskey as much as I do.
Kind Regards Michael