Archaeologists funded by the Crolly Distillery have unearthed the oldest alcohol still ever discovered on these islands in rural Co Donegal.
The still which has been unearthed along with other early Christian relics at the foot of Mount Errigal near Crolly Distillery dates from the sixth century and is believed to have been used by monks to distil spirit for the locals.
The dig has been fully funded by the producers of Croithlí Irish Whiskey, based in the nearby Donegal Gaeltacht village of Crolly (Croithlí).
Donegal has long been known as the ancestral home of distillation. The discovery of recent early Christian records pinpointing the location of ancient distillation began a quest by the distillery earlier this year to find physical evidence before the April 1 dig deadline.
The methods developed here by monks in the most early of Christian times in Ireland are believed to have been brought to Scotland by one of Ireland’s patron saints, St Colmcille, who was exiled to the island of Iona in around 563 AD. For that reason, he has become known to many as the ‘Father of Whiskey’.
Proud of Donegal’s whiskey heritage, the team at Crolly Distillery set out find the remnants of a still to accompany the monks’ records of ancient distillation at the foot of nearby Mount Errigal.
“It might sound like we drank too much of our own Croithlí premium Irish whiskey, and people may think it foolish — especially given the time of year. However, we believed it was important to fund this project and it has been successful,” said Amadán Aibreáin, a spokesperson for the Crolly Distillery dig team.
“When we got wind of a possible dig site, we jumped at the chance to further establish Donegal’s rich Irish whiskey heritage with foolproof evidence,” added the aptly named spokesperson.
Pictures are not yet available but ancient still will go on public display at the distillery building in Crolly, which is open seven days a week for the ‘Crolly Distillery Experience’ tour, premium whiskey tastings, or simply to walk-in for coffee/tea and treats in the coffee shop.
For the full story from Amadán Aibreáin or to book your experience online visit thecrollydistillery.com
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