Dunville’s is one of our favourite brands in the Water of Life. From their early releases of cask strength 12 year old single malt in PX, to their core range blends Three Crowns and 1808, and of course their single cask series. Dunville’s is a brand of sourced whiskey released by Echlinville Distillery but they have carved out an image and niche in the market for the most syrupy, Christmas-cakey type Irish whiskey out there. It’s a successful revival of the brand carried out by Echlinville much to the delight of consumers like me.

We are not alone in our admiration of Dunville’s. They have plenty of accolades across whiskey societies and groups online. One such group is the Friends of Irish Whiskey on Facebook founded by Ian Garratt aka John McDougall, who has other very active “Friends of” pages under his belt like Bruichlladich, Midleton, and Waterford. The Friends of Irish Whiskey group brings together people from all over the world who love Irish Whiskey, from a newbie to the most fanatical of sorts out there. It’s always fun when like-minded people come together but it’s also great to see when this is used for good. For the last couple of years, around December, the group runs a charity auction that has raised tens of thousands of Euros for the Capuchin Day Centre. In 2023, the beneficiaries were extended to Cork Penny Dinners and The People’s Kitchen in Belfast spreading the impact of the fund raising. Both brands and group members are equal in their generosity when it comes to donating items for auction and bidding themselves.

Whiskeys, experiences, bespoke artworks, and more are auctioned along with a raffle and a tasting a few months after to cap the event. It’s obvious the amount of work that’s put into it. Last year, the group partnered with Killowen Distillery and bottled Cask KD0032, a Rye on Rye cask Killowen distillate. Members of the group had the option to purchase these bottles with matching prints of artworks by Orla Walsh and Francis Leavey. A tasting was then held at the Palace Bar which was a fantastic event.

This year, they partnered with Echlinville Distillery and bottled a very special 12 year old single malt finished in Palo Cortado Sherry. Dave went in detail as to what Palo Cortado is in a previous Dunville’s review here. From what I know, this is the first ever 12 year old Palo Cortado release from Dunville’s and the good news is that it’s still available to order via the Echlinville website! We are serial bottle killers at the Water of Life and often, we review whiskeys that are already sold out because they are limited. This is one of those whiskeys. Same with last year, some of these bottles were sold with matching prints and a tasting will be organised in the coming months. All profits from this bottling, the prints, and event go to charities.

For those unfamiliar, the Capuchin Day Centre in Dublin plays a very important role in society. It stands as a beacon of hope and support for the homeless and marginalised communities in Ireland. Founded on principles of compassion and empathy, this charitable organisation has been tirelessly providing essential services such as meals, clothing, and medical assistance to those in need for decades. Their dedication goes beyond immediate aid, extending to fostering a sense of community and dignity among the individuals they serve. Through the collaboration between Echlinville Distillery and the Friends of Irish Whiskey group, each bottle sold not only celebrates exceptional whiskey but also contributes directly to uplifting the lives of the less fortunate, making a tangible difference in the quest to alleviate homelessness in Ireland. It’s a heartwarming testament to the power of whiskey and the communities brought together by it. This is something that’s really easy to get behind of and I’m glad that other charities get to benefit as well this time around.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Very fruity. I can smell it from the table when I poured it on the Glencairn. I don’t often get that unless it’s a peated whiskey I’m having. Ripe red apples, orange, candied orange, honey, lavender, peach. On the lower notes, the malt shows.

Palate: At cask strength, 58.6% alcohol, this whiskey is very drinkable. Warm but doesn’t burn. The first sip shows some complexity. Sweet is the dominant flavour but not as much as the other Dunville’s PX releases. Nice mouthfeel and not overly oily with some peppery kick. Dark cherries, peach, some grape juice like Welch’s, caramelised pecans, cola.

Finish: A delightful finish where the malt sweetness and cereal biscuit-y notes shine through, chocolate digestives and a sip of Fanta orange.

Score: 7.5/10