Bottling the Lambay Single Malt Castle Prestige Edition 20 Years Old is only possible due to the expertise of our Master Blender and Cellar Master- Yonael Bernard.

Belonging to a long line of master distillers his unparalleled skill is a sublime union of expertise and seasoned understanding of the unique Lambay environment. For the Lambay Single Malt Castle Prestige Edition 20 Years Old he has harnessed Lambay’s maritime climate, pollens, and sea aerosols to create a unique flavour journey.

The Lambay Single Malt Castle Prestige Edition 20 Years Old is a bold liquid delicately sourced from Noel Sweeney (ex-Master Distiller Cooley / Powerscourt Distillery) where it was delicately aged in bourbon casks for 18 years. At this point, it is transferred to beautiful French oak cognac casks from Camus and left to mature and finish in casks exposed to the sea air on Lambay Island.

Why is this? Cognac casks preserve intense aromas within each stave of the cognac cask. We work closely with the Cellar Master in Camus to ensure that the casks we receive are selected for their aromas and because they will blend perfectly with our whiskey. The cognac cask naturally delivers more intense fruit notes, aromas, and textures to our whiskey.

The maritime maturation has a strong influence on the balance and taste of Lambay Whiskey. As wood is an organic matter, it breathes the external atmosphere as well as correlates with the internal reactions at play inside the cask. Put simply, maturation is a liquid, (in our case whiskey) that is impacted by a resting period (maturation cycle) and is surrounded by a specific environment or atmosphere.

This matters because the atmosphere on Lambay is highly unique and has probably some of the highest percentages of environmental sea salt in Europe. The smaller the island the greater the influence of the sea. The high humidity, strong winds, and waves are additional parameters to increase the influence of the sea in the atmosphere. Phytoplankton and sea-spray aerosols are high therefore the air is devoid of pollutants or industrial deposits.

On top of all this, the island is a nature reserve with very little human activity, therefore abundant in pure air that delivers a rich environment of positive ions, sea salt, and oxygen.

The more constant and unique your environment is, the more intense the maturation process for your casks.

This all means that the environment imparts a certain briny / salty note to the casks. However, it is really the interaction between the atmosphere that passes through the cask while resting on Lambay and the slow oxidizing effect which is perfect for imparting certain island botanicals and environmental compounds into the cask. We use French oak so there is an additional advantage as these casks are slightly more porous allowing for more contact between the air and our whiskey.

“Ensuring each cask receives the maximum benefit of the Island’s unique micro-climate of sea aerosols and pollens. This single malt is uniquely crafted to deliver on balance and aromatic intensity along with a depth of complexity and smooth taste, presenting a truly unique taste journey.” Master Blender Yonael Bernard

With your bottle of Lambay Single Malt Castle Prestige Edition 20 Years Old you can access your own tasting with our Master Blender as he talks you through the taste journey and recommendations on a pre-recorded video for you to watch at any time.

For more information on the Lambay Single Malt Castle Prestige Edition 20 Years Old view our last blog or visit us here: https://lambaywhiskey.com/unlocktheuntold to grab your bottle.