World’s Best Grain - Fercullen 15 carves precious territory for Ireland’s Powerscourt Distillery

Fercullen 15 Single Grain becomes a new engine at the heart of the Powerscourt Distillery brand

When Irish whiskey maker, Powerscourt Distillery, took the World’s Best Grain title at the recent World Whisky Awards, heads turned to get a glimpse of this ambitious young whiskey maker. It eclipsed Scotland’s Loch Lomond and Japan’s Mt Fuji distilleries to take the title – as well as seeing off a host of other international entrants from the USA, Canada and beyond. 

The team at Fercullen won’t have been too surprised at the 15-year-old bottling taking home the prize – they know the effort and perseverance that is poured into every bottle. A careful path has been laid over the past decade, working with the best in the business to carve out an identity in its native County Wicklow, the stunning coastal region that borders Dublin.

A prestige destination for international visitors, Powerscourt Distillery is located on the grounds of one of Ireland’s most beautiful grand estates, the Powerscourt Estate. Neighbouring a five-star hotel and two championship golf courses near the foothills of the Wicklow mountains, it took the name Fercullen from these storied hills. (The word Fercullen comes from an Irish language phrase meaning Men of the Hills.)  

The 15-year-old World’s Best is a single grain distilled from a mash of corn and malted barley and matured in ex-bourbon. A portion of this is then finished in second-fill madeira casks to drive a layer of spiced fruit into its layers. Bottled at 41.5% it’s a delicious entrant in the single grain category and a new cornerstone for the distillery collection.