Chatting with Elliot Hughes Dingle Distillery

The spirit of Dingle

Situated in the heart of the Kerry Gaeltacht along Ireland’s Wild Atlantic Way, is a distillery creating distinctive whiskey, gin and vodka inspired by its local surroundings. Elliot Hughes, managing director of Dingle Distillery, shares his thoughts on what makes the brand’s products so unique.

Chatting with Meg Walker

For Elliot Hughes, the managing director of Dingle Distillery, it’s the inimitable Kerry setting that sets the brand apart, from the local botanicals used to make Dingle Original Gin to the maturation of Dingle Whiskey, carried out right in the heart of the Dingle Peninsula.

Elliot’s father, Oliver Hughes, cofounded the distillery ten-years ago, in 2012. At that time, it was reportedly the first purpose built and privately owned distillery to open in Ireland in over 150 years. Oliver sadly passed away in 2016 before the first Dingle whiskey was ready for bottling, but Elliot and his team have worked hard to carry on his father’s legacy to create distinctive spirits that reflect the beauty and charm of the region and its people.

What Elliot is most proud of, he says, is seeing just how far the distillery has come over the last decade. “The team that we have built within the distillery and looking at our position going forward is exciting and something I think we can all be quite proud of.”

Dingle Whiskey

The brand’s first whiskey release came in 2016 and it’s since seen limited, smallbatch releases like the Single Pot Still appearing alongside the renowned Dingle Single Malt, which has seen six-batches released to date, each one more mature than its predecessor. “Our Single Malt is something we’re really quite proud of. We’ve seen sales of it grow tremendously. It’s a reasonably priced whiskey that’s made to suit all tastes,” Elliot explains. “Personally, I like to drink it neat but it’s suitable for use in cocktails too.” Have a gander at dingledistillery.ie for a host of inspiring suggestions for tasty cocktail recipes to try, like an interesting twist on a Manhattan or an Old Fashioned.

Dingle Original Gin

This hand-crafted artisan gin is made in small batches and categorised as a London Dry Gin, but it’s the bespoke blend of local botanicals that gives Dingle Original Gin its unique flavour. “We use 13 different botanicals in our gin. Six of which are locally found on the Dingle Peninsula and that creates a uniqueness that you’re not getting anywhere else,” says Elliot. “Our signature G&T serve is over ice with a good-quality, nonflavoured tonic (so as not to mask the natural flavour of the gin) and a slice of orange or grapefruit. I also quite like a gin and soda from time to time – it allows you to really experience the flavour of the gin.”

Dingle Distillery Vodka

When you’re looking for something a little softer, the brand’s own vodka promises a smooth and easy-drinking flavour profile. “Our vodka is something that we’ve always been very proud of,” Elliot says. “Those who’ve tried it tend to be blown away by just how smooth and tremendously easy-drinking it is. Vodka and sodas are becoming quite popular at the moment and this would be one simple way to enjoy it.”

Next up for the brand is a fresh whiskey series soon to arrive in the coming months, which Elliot refers to as “the next chapter”, while plans are in place for a newly built distillery and visitor centre in the very near future. Here’s to another successful decade of Dingle Distillery spirits.

Award-winning spirits

All three of the brand’s key spirits – Dingle Whiskey, Dingle Original Gin, and Dingle Distillery Vodka – have won multiple awards worldwide, including a bronze medal in the Irish Single Malt Category for Dingle Single Malt Whiskey Batch No. 4 at the 2020 World Whiskies Awards; Best Irish London Dry Gin, World’s Best London Dry Gin and World’s Best Gin at the 2019 World Drink Awards; and Best Irish Pure Neutral Vodka at the World Vodka Awards 2020.