March's Spirits of the Month – Ballykeefe Distilling, Irish Craft Whiskey
If you ever find yourself around Kilkenny, Ireland, do yourself a favor and drive 20-30 minutes Southwest and go to Ballykeefe Distillery. There you will see Morgan Ging and his family's Distillery along with their very active farm. In July of 2025, my wife and I were able to visit Morgan at Ballykeefe on our way back to Dublin and it was such a treat. I thought we were going to be going on this official tour with a group of like-minded tourists, but instead when we parked, we were the only car in the lot and in front of the distillery was Morgan just waiting to say hello. On our private tour, Morgan told us about how the Ging family has been in the farming business since written records existed and how it was his personal interest, first in brewing and then in distilling, that led him to create Ballykeefe Distillery. "When we wanted to make an addition to our house, it took 18 months for it to get approved" Morgan told us, "When I reached out about the idea of a distillery, I was approved in just 1 month."
In 2010, there were only 4 distilleries in all of Ireland. At the end of last year, there were 50. The excitement of small craft distilling coming back to Ireland was part of what helped Morgan get the approval for Ballykeefe so quickly. Morgan explained to us that a couple decades ago, he and a friend tried to open a brewery which turned out to be harder than they thought, and the plan fizzed out. And instead of fading away like the idea of the brewery did, Morgan's interest and passion kept growing. 2 decades later, as the head of the family farm, Morgan got an itch about starting up his own distillery. He had a barn picked out for it, had an idea for a very specific Pot Still he wanted to use and what kind of machinery he was going to put in. In a very short time, Morgan was able to get everything he needed and Ballykeefe Distillery was born.
What was really cool about getting the personal tour from Morgan was seeing how his engineering mind and farming background made him perfect for the job of Master Distiller. His engineering side helped him build the distillery, whereas his farming side helped him keep the idea of sustainability at front of mind. It was also cool to learn that Morgan and I share the thought that the sweet spot for aged whiskey is somewhere in that 6-8 year mark. Now as for tasting with Morgan, once he found out that I am a fan of Rye Whiskey, he put away the traditional Irish Whiskeys he makes and pulled out some experimental batches of Rye he had grown and distilled. And while delicious, sadly the expressions I tried only exist in the Ballykeefe tasting room. But lucky for you, we have 2 delicious Whiskeys made by Morgan for you all to enjoy this St. Patrick's Day.
Ballykeefe Distillery Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey
Made with 60% malted barley and 40% unmalted barley. Apple fruit up front gives you freshness and richness. Notes of cocoa, while dry do add to the decadence, hints of oak spice bring out a savory characteristic. Creamy vanilla coats the palate while vibrant citrus flavors cut through the richness.
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Ballykeefe Distillery Single Malt Irish Whiskey
Your palate is coated with notes of toffee, oak spice brings some bright pops of flavor and hints of fresh apple add to the brightness. Caramel adds some richness to the toffee flavors, delicate notes of cocoa and tea spice come out on the finish.
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