Hinch Distillery was founded by Belfast businessman Terry Cross on his Killaney Estate, just outside Ballynahinch in Co. Down. The distillery officially opened in 2021 and produces Hinch Irish Whiskey and Ninth Wave Irish Gin. We became very interested in Hinch after tasting its cracking new-make at Whiskey Live in 2022. It is distilled by Aaron Flaherty who has worked in Glen Elgin Distillery, Scotland, and with Colum Egan, master distiller at Bushmill's.
At 2024s World Whisky Awards in London, Hinch won "World's Best Blended Irish Whiskey" for this Double Wood release. It's an 80/20 blend of Irish Single Grain and Irish Single Malt, matured in ex-bourbon casks for 4 years before finishing for a further year in virgin oak. It is bottled at 43% abv.