Finished in ex-bourbon barrels & PX sherry casks.Master Distiller Darryl McNally.  92° prf

Nose: Caramel, toffee, butterscotch, butter cream, nougat, vanilla, yellow sponge cake, honey, raisins, ripe banana, plum, red licorice, lemon, almond, pecan, baking spice, nutmeg, mossy, oak, pine, young oak sapling, charred wood.

‍Palate: Caramel, cocoa, mocha, vanilla, candied fruit, apricot fruit leather, dried apricot, Twizzlers, fruit cup, red apple, orange, hint of citrus, basil, cinnamon, clove, spicy, white pepper, black pepper, iodine, leather, olive oil, bread, toast, oak, sherry, layered, silky, creamy.

‍Finish: Dried fruit, orange zest, licorice, malt, hay, nutmeg, spicy, lingering spice, woody, oak, balanced, creamy, big and bold, great for after dinner.

Limavady’s master distiller Darryl McNally’s masterstroke has been to take the lead on single barrel releases within the Irish whiskey scene. This sourced single malt is triple-distilled from 100% malted Irish barley, matured in first-fill bourbon barrels, and finished in Pedro Ximénez casks, delivering a lusciously sweet combination of barley sugar, butterscotch, candied orange peel, and pepperiness. Now working in partnership with WhistlePig, McNally, a former distiller at Bushmills and Dublin Liberties Distilleries, is hoping that success will enable a new Limavady Distillery to be built one day. Until then, we can enjoy this singularly original dram. —Jonny McCormick

Remember those old Looney Tunes cartoons where the St. Bernard with a whiskey barrel collar whips up a martini after rescuing Yosemite Sam? If you do, you’re of a certain age, and you can now reenact this scenario with your good boy or girl courtesy of Limavady Single Barrel Single Malt Irish Whiskey.

One of the most awarded figures in Irish whiskey, Darryl McNally, has spent roughly three decades in the spirits industry. After years working his way up the ranks of renowned whiskey producers, McNally ventured home to Limavady, in Northern Ireland’s Roe Valley, where he began to resurrect the coastal town’s historic distillery, Limavady, originally founded in 1750 and shuttered in 1910.

Irish Whiskey has been trending in popularity for the past couple of years for reasons including increased innovation among distillers and makers, resulting in more premium offerings. A new premium release that should be on your radar is Limavady Single Barrel Irish Whiskey from the town of Limavady northwest of Belfast.

‍

Master Distiller Darryl McNally, a descendant of the Limavady Distillery’s 18th century operators, is teaming up with Vermont rye maestros WhistlePig to resurrect one of Ireland’s oldest whiskeys (originally founded back in 1750).

‍

The name Limavady is old—dating back to 1750—but the label has only been recently resurrected. Its second coming is a single barrel product, triple-distilled from 100% malted Irish barely and aged in ex-bourbon barrels before a finish in former PX sherry casks.

Its nose presents earthy, malty grain with soil up top and a slightly sherried sweetness below. On the palate it’s warm and creamy, beginning with earthy malt and raisins before picking up biscuits and toffee in the middle. The finish is all creamy vanilla, oak, and the dark, sherry-sweet flavors of a dessert wine with a hint of plum. It’s played off by a delectable finish that has peaches, plums, and pears in a kind of dark-sweet sherry sauce with spice—think of it as a fruit salad packed in sherry.

Limavady has the lightness of a traditional Irish whiskey but combines it with the very best of what sherry and bourbon barrel influence can do.

‍

Limavady was launched in 2021 by Bushmills veteran Darryl McNally, and offers single-barrel single malt whiskey (currently sourced). The liquid ages in bourbon barrels and is finished in Pedro Ximénez casks before bottling at 46 percent ABV. It’s a whiskey of contrasts: youthful but full of character; light in color yet rich in flavor. Particularly enjoyable are its fresh fruit and honeysuckle aromas and the modest hint of PX wine that runs throughout. Average price: $51. Rating: 91.

Launched in 2021, Limavady is the brainchild of Darryl McNally, a Bushmills veteran who spent nearly two decades at the iconic distillery. The brand offers one product: a single-barrel (currently sourced) single malt that ages in bourbon barrels and is finished in Pedro Ximénez casks. Bottled at 46 percent ABV, this is a whiskey of pleasant contrasts: It's young but brimming with character; light in hue yet rich in flavor. Fresh fruit and honeysuckle aromas set a lively tone, while a modest hint of PX wine runs throughout.

Iconic Beverages has announced the latest addition to its spirits portfolio, with the launch of Limavady Single Malt Irish Whiskey in Australia.

Limavady Single Barrel Whiskey has won a number of awards in the spirit industry’s leading competitions.

Limavady will be launching in key international markets and expanding across the US and his year.

One of Ireland’s oldest whiskeys, dating back to 1750, Limavady made a remarkable comeback recently and is now celebrating four Gold Medals from the Beverage Testing Institute, Whiskies of the World, The Drinks Business and John Barleycorn Awards as well as being named ‘No1 Irish Single Malt’ by the Beverage Testing Institute and John Barleycorn’s 2021 ‘Best Irish Whiskey’.

A multitude of innovative spirits debuted last year. The first instalment of our top 50 picks includes a vermouth-finished rum, an apéritif designed to accompany Indian dishes and a Laphroaig-finished Tequila.

The spirits business is ever-evolving, with producers stretching the limits of what can be done. Each year we select 50 of the most innovative spirits to hit the market, and 2021 offered plenty of choice.

Our top 50 cutting-edge picks from last year include liquids with experimental finishes, products in intriguing new formats, bottlings with inventive flavours and more.

Read on for the first round-up of our annual list, where we count down the spirits that earned spots 50-41.