Hyde Irish Whiskey, Named Best Irish Single Malt Whiskey in the World at Prestigious US awards

Mayoral Reception at Cork County Hall to Honour Cork’s Hyde Irish Whiskey, Named Best Irish Single Malt Whiskey in the World at Prestigious US awards

HYDE Irish Whiskey was honoured by Mayor of County Cork, Councillor John Paul O’Shea, at a special reception at Cork County Hall that took place on 13 April 2016

HYDE Single Malt Irish Whiskey swept the boards at the very prestigious San Francisco World Sprits Competition, being named Best Single Malt Irish whiskey in the world 2016 and winning the top Double-Gold Medal for outstanding taste 2016.

Since its launch in 2000, the San Francisco World spirits Competition has become unofficially known as the Whiskey Oscar’s, as the most prestigious and influential spirits competition in the world. It is judged by a very highly respected panel of 39 judges drawn from all parts of the worldwide spirit industry, including;

  • Anthony Dias Blue, Lifestyle Writer, Editor, and Publisher
  • Tony Abou-Ganim, Master Mixologist
  • Charles Joly, named Diageo’s ‘Best Bartender in the World’
  • David Wondrich, Spirits Writer
  • Charlotte Voisey, Director of Brand Advocacy for Wm. Grant and Sons
  • Dale DeGroff, Master Mixologist

The 2016 competition featured more than 1,850 entrants representing the crème de le crème of the global sprits industry. There were over 200 Irish whiskey products entered.

Conor Hyde of Hibernia Distillers explains the background to Hyde Irish Whiskey, a family business run with his brother Alan:

“We are very proud of our Cork roots and absolutely delighted be honoured by the Mayor of County Cork, Councillor John Paul O’Shea.

 We are still catching our breath, having been awarded not just the coveted ‘Best Single Malt Irish Whiskey in the World 2016’ but also with the very prestigious ‘Double Gold’ medal award for 2016 which is only granted to spirits that receive top marks from all of the judges.

 Hyde No. 1 is a very special, 10-year-old, pure single malt Irish whiskey, finished in a carefully selected Spanish Oloroso Sherry cask that gives it a subtle yet complex flavour with a very distinctive personality.

 Our whiskey is matured here in County Cork, which is of course renowned for its very temperate climate. While we all long for a bit more sunshine, it’s that stable temperature and humidity that helps to create the ideal temperature conditions for maturing casks of Whiskey!

 Hyde No 1 Single Malt Irish Whiskey is part of a collection of three very distinctive whiskeys; A 10-year-old single malt, from which we create Hyde No. 1, aged in Oloroso Sherry Casks and Hyde No. 2, matured in dark Caribbean Rum barrels.

These two pure single malts have just been joined by Hyde No.3, a 6-year-old Single Grain Irish Whiskey matured in a Bourbon cask. We have carefully selected the very best vintage wooden casks from around the world to create a new Irish whiskey taste that is rich in character and truly unique in flavour. As we say here, whiskey is all about the wood! 

Hyde Irish Whiskey provides the discerning whiskey drinker with a fuller more complex flavour and distinctive personality. We do not chill filter our whiskey, unlike 95% of all other whiskies on the market, and we produce in very small limited batches of just 5,000 bottles. Each bottle carries a unique bottle identification number allowing it to be traced right back to its original wooden cask and fill date.

 We are a family run business built upon our family’s long heritage in the drinks industry. For at least ten generations we have been vintners selling whiskey in West Cork. Both Alan and I have been involved in the Irish artisan food sector for most of our careers.

 HYDE Irish Whiskey honours Douglas Hyde, not only Ireland’s first president, but a very inspirational figure who helped to define Ireland’s sense of identity. As an academic he played a fundamental role in cataloguing Ireland’s rich cultural history and championing the Irish language.”

Hyde Single Malt Irish Whiskey is already available in fifteen markets around the world with plans to launch in more countries over the coming year.

Conor Hyde explains the growing importance of small, independent whiskey makers to the Irish spirits industry:

In recent years there has been a rapid resurgence of Irish whiskey on the global market with the US market seeing huge growth, particularly in the specialist category with super premium Irish Whiskey seeing a +54.5% growth in sales in 2015. Americans purchased the equivalent of 3.2 million 9-litre cases of Irish Whiskey during 2015, valued at $664 million.

 The super-premium Irish whiskey segment has seen remarkable growth over the last 14 years with a staggering +3,054% growth from 2002 to 2015!”