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When Master Distiller Graham Coull and his team set out to bring the Dingle Bash festival to life, they had no idea that it would become so much more than just a celebration of fine whiskey. But as laughter and cheers filled the air, they realized they had achieved something extraordinary - something that would leave a lasting impression on all who experienced it. What could be the unexpected twist in this story?
This season we are taking the show on the road. First stop was the Dingle Distillery in County Kerry, Ireland where we spent three days at a proper Irish Gathering. We explore the town, the people, the whiskey and learn a lot about real Irish Pubs and old Pagan traditions. Interviews include Dingle's Master Distiller, Graham Coull, his wife Fay, Steven O'Carroll and Hunter Leese from Hotaling & Co.
Whiskey is still my favorite. I enjoy the whole process. I enjoy working with whiskeys, maturing whiskeys, creating whiskeys and planning for the future. - Graham Coull
Graham Coull, a respected Master Distiller with 25 years of experience in the whiskey industry, has been crafting exceptional spirits at Dingle Distillery since his move from Scotland three years ago. Graham's passion for whiskey-making has been a driving force in his career, leading him to work at renowned distilleries such as Glenfiddich and Glen Moray. During the Dingle Bash festival, Graham shares his expertise on Irish whiskey while promoting the unique culture, tourism, and collaborative spirit of the Emerald Isle.
Graham found himself captivated by the enchanting town of Dingle in Ireland. The rich history and vibrant culture drew him in, and it wasn't long before he was fully immersed in the world of Dingle Distillery. A chance opportunity to join the distillery, coupled with his love for whiskey, was an offer Graham couldn't refuse. He, alongside his wife, Fay Coull, embarked on a journey to celebrate and promote Irish culture and tourism at the Dingle Bash festival. All their hard work culminated in the festival's roaring success.
In this episode, you will be able to:
1. Discover the captivating history of Dingle Distillery and their unwavering dedication to crafting exceptional whiskey.
2. Gain insights into Master Distiller Graham Coull's expertise and his visionary approach to whiskey development.
3. Uncover the exceptional Salon whiskey expression and the exclusive Celtic Series of releases that set them apart.
4. Dive into the vibrant Dingle Bash festival, showcasing Irish culture.
5. Explore the mystique of Druid-led rituals, enigmatic whiskey blending contests, and the paramount importance of sustainability in the industry.
Whiskey Making Journey
The Barrel Room Chronicles podcast delves into the whiskey-making journey of the Dingle Distillery, discussing the importance of sourcing local ingredients and their commitment to quality and excellence in every step. The distillery team has a deep understanding of their process, ensuring that each batch of whiskey is carefully crafted to provide unique, flavorful experiences. From the locally sourced barley to the small copper stills that are used for distillation, listeners gain insight into the tremendous effort that goes into making Irish whiskey at Dingle Distillery. Graham Coull and Fay Coull, founders of Dingle Distillery, share their story and dedication to producing exceptional Irish whiskey. They discuss the hurdles they have faced and their perseverance in establishing the distillery from the ground up. The couple's passion and commitment to their craft are evident throughout the conversation and showcase their unwavering dedication to quality and tradition.
The resources mentioned in this episode are:
Visit Dingle Distillery's website to learn more about their history, products, and events: https://www.dingledistillery.ie/
Watch the Barrel Room Chronicles Season 2 Premiere Episode on YouTube or Spotify to see the tour of Dingle Distillery in County Kerry, Ireland.
Check out Fenton's Restaurant,
Fenton's Restaurant: https://fentonsrestaurantdingle.com/
Foxy John's Hardware: https://scoundrelsfieldguide.com/foxy-johns-dingle-ireland-pub/
Look out for Dingle Distillery's upcoming whiskey releases over the next two years, which will be tied to various Irish festival times.
Plan a visit to Dingle Distillery in County Kerry, Ireland, to experience their whiskey, gin, and vodka production firsthand.
For those of you who would like to know who won the Dingle whisky blending contest, it was Thomas Curran. Thomas named his blend ‘An Lasair Choille’ which directly translates to ‘flame of the woods’. A very appropriate name for a whiskey created at this event indeed. His whiskey contained a well-balanced blend of Single Malt and Pot Still and Graham also liked that the bourbon cask component was not overshadowed by the sherry cask components.
A little about Thomas – He is originally from Banna in County Kerry and has been in Cork for nearly 6 years, 4 of which he has been bartending. This is how Thomas caught the whiskey bug. His interest and specialty in Irish Whiskey and pursuit of a career in distillation led him to his work in the Shelbourne Bar. For the last year and a half, he has been specializing in merchandising and whiskey sales. Thomas and his colleagues from the Shelbourne were invited to the Dingle Bash, due to their long and valued relationship with the Dingle Distillery.
The blend he made for the contest was called An Lasair Choille, the Irish word for a goldfinch, which directly translates to "the flame of the woods". Thomas has always wanted that to be the name of the first whiskey he releases. The blend he created was 2 parts bourbon aged malt, 1 part bourbon pot still, 1 part Oloroso pot still, 1 part PX pot still, and 1 part Port malt. He wanted to go for 50/50 pot still/malt and 50/50 bourbon/fortified maturation, so worked out nicely and tasted great.
Further Reading:
A Brief History of the Irish Snug: https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/93409/brief-history-irish-snug
Ireland filming locations for Start Wars: https://www.authenticvacations.com/star-wars-filming-locations-ireland
Connect with me here:
https://www.youtube.com/youtube.com/@barrelRoomChronicles
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https://www.linkedin.com/linkedin.com/KerryMoynahan
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Timestamped summary of this episode:
00:00:00 - Introduction,
Kerry Moynahan introduces the Season Two Premiere Episode of the Barrel Room Chronicles, which takes place at Dingle Distillery in County Kerry, Ireland. She also recommends watching the episode on their website, YouTube or Spotify.
00:00:39 - Local Cuisine and Pubs,
Stephen O'Carroll takes Kerry Moynahan to Fenton, a restaurant that uses only locally sourced ingredients, and to local pubs like Dick Max and Foxy John's Hardware. Kerry learns about the history of snugs, where women could drink in private, and the unique atmosphere of Foxy John's Hardware, a pub that looks like an old school hardware store.
00:01:51 - Meeting the Master Distiller,
Kerry Moynahan meets Graham Coull, the Master Distiller at Dingle Distillery, who talks about the founding fathers who invested in the distillery and their wall of staves. Graham explains the triple distillation process of Dingle's whiskey and the importance of copper contact in purifying the spirit. He also discusses plans to upgrade the building and keep the history of water power by preserving the water wheel.
00:08:16 - The Warehouse and Bottling Area,
Kerry Moynahan learns about the warehouse where Dingle Distillery stores and matures their casks of whiskey, gin, and vodka. Graham Coull talks about the different types of casks used for maturation, including sherry, bourbon, port, wine, rum, tequila, and mezcal. Kerry also sees the bottling area where all the spirits are bottled by employees.
00:09:49 - Whiskey Making Journey,
Graham Coull talks about his journey in whiskey making, from studying chemistry at university to working in a brewery and then in distilleries like Glenn Finnick and Glenn Murray. He discusses his love for whiskey making and planning for the future, beyond his time at Dingle. Kerry Moynahan shares her positive experience trying Dingle whiskey in local pubs.
00:14:42 - Dingle's Future Plans,
Dingle plans to release nine whiskey expressions over the next two years, each linked to a festival in the Irish calendar. The flagship expression is Dingle Single Malt, and the distillery aims to reach a wider audience as it becomes more mature.
00:19:36 - Behind the Scenes of Dingle Bash,
Faye Coull and Marion are the driving force behind the organization of the Dingle Bash. It's all about teamwork, and the distillery staff turns up to help with tasks like pouring whiskey for guests.
00:24:39 - Hunter Leese and Dingle's Salon,
Hunter Leese manages the Dingle brand in the US and played a significant role in organizing the Dingle Bash. The group samples Salon, a new expression of the Celtic series, which is aged for five years in bourbon barrels and two years in Moscatel.
00:27:00 - Stephen O'Carroll's Role at Dingle,
Stephen O'Carroll handles sales and marketing for the Dingle Distillery. He's been with the company for just over three years and spends much of his time entertaining customers at events like the Dingle Bash.
00:28:40 - Wrapping up with the Dingle Crew,
The group chats with Stephen O'Carroll and Hunter Leese about Dingle's history and marketing efforts. Everyone is excited to be at the Dingle Bash and looking forward to the druid dance and bonfire.
00:29:14 - Dingle's Festivals,
Dingle is a place where ancient Celtic festivals are celebrated to this day. Steven O'Carrol talks about the Ren boy or the little man on their bottles honoring the small bird hunt on December 26. Julie Malone, a Druid, leads a ceremony for the release of Salon, the first of nine whiskey releases based on the pagan calendar, and the third harvest festival.
00:31:33 - Sauen Whiskey,
Sauen is the first of nine whiskey releases marking the end and rebirth of the Celtic wheel of the year. The whiskey is fully matured for five years in a first-fill bourbon cask, and then a long finish of two years in a first-fill Moscatel cask, resulting in a triple distilled single malt.
00:32:35 - Druid Ceremony,
The high priestess and Druid, Julie Malone, leads a ritual when tasting the new Salon expression, inviting everyone to imbue a stick with what they want to let go of and what they want to call into their lives. She ends the ceremony with the three sacred laws that always come from women.
00:37:48 - Busker Whiskey Blending,
Graham Coull judges a whiskey blending contest where participants are given six squirts into a glass to pick at least two components. They must come up with a whiskey name and tasting notes for the blend, and the winner must have the most creative name and description.
00:38:33 - Conclusion,
The Barrel Room Chronicles team leaves Dingle for more Irish whiskey producers and tastes the busker's four core expressions with Woody Kane at the Royal Oak Distillery in County Carlo. The team invites guests to register to be on the show on their website and reminds everyone to enjoy their spirits responsibly.
Former Business Development Director at Dingle Distillery
Having worked for larger established distilleries for over a decade, I joined Dingle Distillery in 2019 to build out their international business. I now look after all sales and marketing for the distillery.
Master Distiller
Following a lengthy process that saw applicants from across Europe and as far as Australia apply for the highly sought after position of Master Distiller at the Dingle Distillery, Graham Coull commended his role at the Dingle Distillery in October 2019.
Having started his foray into the drinks industry training as a brewer at Webster’s Brewery in Halifax, in 1994, Graham began working in the whisky industry as bottling manager at William Grant & Sons before realizing his passion for distillation, becoming Distillation Manager for Glenfiddich, Balvenie and Kininvie Distilleries. He left his role as Distillery Manager and Master Distiller at Glen Moray where he held a 14-year tenure, during which time he managed the expansion of the distillery and developed its range of whiskies. Arriving at the Dingle Distillery in October marked his 25th anniversary working within the whisky industry.
The Dingle Distillery’s Third Single Pot Still Release in November 2019 was the first new release overseen by Graham Coull as Master Distiller.
“Becoming the Distillery Manager and Master Distiller at The Dingle Distillery is an ideal opportunity for me to continue my passion for creating whiskies. I’m extremely impressed with the quality of the maturing spirit at Dingle and welcome the challenge of distilling in Dingle’s unique maturation conditions to craft the next small batch releases of Irish whiskey. I’m looking forward to really exploring the similarities and differences between Scotch and Irish whiskey, comparing and contras… Read More
