Dead Rabbit Irish Whiskey comes alive in Singapore

Spirits distributor Gain Brands has announced that Dead Rabbit Irish Whiskey will officially makes its way from Dublin in Ireland to Singapore’s shores later this August.

During the mid- to late-1800s, New York’s poorest slums were dominated by rival gangs and many of its streets – especially in the squalid Lower Manhattan area – often erupted in open gang warfare. One of the most feared gangs were the Dead Rabbits, comprised of mainly of Irish immigrants who fled the Ireland’s Great Famine to settle in America. This turbulent period, and the rivalry between the Dead Rabbits and its key rival the Bowery Boys, was immortalised in Martin Scorcese’s 2002 period drama Gangs Of New York.

And thanks to Quintessential Brands‘ spanking new Dublin Liberties Distillery, makers of the range of Dubliner Irish Whiskey, the Dead Rabbits’ may achieve further and enduring notoriety with the Dead Rabbit Irish Whiskey. Seasoned drinkers, especially those from New York, may just recognise the logo – yes, the whiskey was created in collaboration with the Irish co-founders of New York’s famous Dead Rabbit Saloon (incidentally located not too far from The Five Points where the Dead Rabbits and the Bowery had regularly battled on the streets).

Dublin Liberties Distillery’s master distiller Darryl McNally (main picture) was in town to introduce the whiskey. McNally is an industry veteran who cut his teeth for over 16 years at Ireland’s oldest whiskey distillery Bushmills, and joined Quintessential Brands in 2015 to head up operations at Dublin Liberties Distillery. Inspired by the stories of emigration during that earlier era in Irish and American history, he’s put together a liquid taste of that history with the Dead Rabbit whiskey.

Unlike most other Irish whiskeys that are generally triple distilled, Dead Rabbit Irish Whiskey is a blend of 30% malt and 70% grain whiskies – the former double distilled, and the latter triple distilled – for a richer, chewier spirit. It’s also a whiskey that’s first matured in bourbon casks for five years before a further finish in virgin American-oak casks, a further hat-tip to its American roots.

Expect flavours of sweet vanilla, butterscotch and floral honey, but not before an initial blitz of spicy white pepper and bark spice courtesy of the virgin American oak. Thereafter some notes of graphite and citrus oils will appear in its medium-long finish.

Dead Rabbit Irish Whiskey will be available from Gain Brands from end August, and will retail in Singapore at a recommended retail price of S$102.