The Legendary Dark Silkie

Sliabh Liag Distillers Reveals a Darker Side with The Legendary Dark Silkie

Ahead of World Whiskey Day this Saturday, Sliabh Liag Distillers has released The Legendary Dark Silkie Irish Whiskey, a blend of carefully selected Irish Whiskeys which will reintroduce drinkers to the rich smoky peated Irish Whiskey. The release follows on from the success of the distillery’s Legendary Silkie Irish Whiskey.

Sliabh Liag Distillers has taken a bold step with Dark Silkie in recreating the taste of Donegal whiskey in the 19th century. James Doherty, founder and managing director of Sliabh Liag Distillers says: “The Dark Silkie is the first addition to the Silkie range and adds a smoky overlay to the signature Silkie style. It has always been my intention to bring peat smoke to blends and this is the first time we have been able to source the right smoky whiskeys for our Silkie. It’s the perfect stepping-stone for introducing the dry, rich, smoky style that we believe is true to Donegal and the wild Atlantic coast.”

“The Legendary Dark Silkie has, on the nose, fresh apple, pipe tobacco and the comforting dry smoke of a peat fire. To taste, the whiskey is super soft with a salted-caramel sweetness, dark chocolate and liquorice, oak, leather and a dry spicy smoke. The finish is warming with smoky malt, peanut butter and melts away” Doherty added.

Dark Silkie has at its core a triple distilled peated single malt which is matured in sherry casks. This single malt is peated to 55ppm (parts per million) which after the triple distillation results in a phenol level around 22ppm giving a rich, sweet, smoky flavour. The peated single malt is blended with a double distilled single malt matured in bourbon barrels and soft grain whiskey matured in virgin oak casks.

As with the multi-award winning Silkie Irish Whiskey, Dark Silkie is hand bottled at Sliabh Liag Distillers in Carrick, County Donegal and, in keeping with the strong tradition of storytelling still prevalent in Donegal, The Dark Silkie is named after the Silkies of the Donegal coast. Silkies are mermaid-like mythical shapeshifters, who shed their seal skin coats on a sandy moonlit shore to become beautiful sea maidens.

Last month, Sliabh Liag Distillers joined the national effort in fighting COVID-19 by pivoting production to hand sanitiser, as Doherty explains: “It has been a busy time with the pivot toward hand sanitiser in recent weeks, but in spite of the pandemic, we are pushing ahead with the distillery in Ardara and will only produce rich peated whiskeys with our “all grains in process” which I think is unique to Ireland”.