THE MORTON RELEASE

From Bold Threads to Bold Whiskey

The Morton Release is a fine premium whiskey crafted in tribute to the first business that operated in our historic distillery building: the world-famous Donegal Carpets.

The Croithlí factory, which fashioned luxurious carpets for grand palaces all over the world between 1904-1916, was founded by Scottish textiles magnate Andrew Morton. He saw a global opportunity to tap into the rich knitting, weaving and embroidery craft skills that were prevalent in Donegal.

His vision was to make hand-knotted carpets from local wool similar in detail and intricacy to those from Persia and Turkey. He also leveraged Celtic revival among the arts and crafts community in England and commissions for Celtic designs, such as those found in the Book of Kells, were made.

To quote Morton himself on Donegal hand-made carpets — “the pile stood like pearls”.

‘Donegals’ as they are known can be found in such places as Áras an Uachtaráin, The Vatican, Dublin Castle, Buckingham Palace, Windsor Castle, The Taj Mahal, and The White House.

A SPECIAL WHISKEY HONOURING MORTON’S VISION

The Morton Release, which is crafted from 80% malted barley and 20% crystal malted barley, honours the original legacy of the building. It’s a tribute to the detail, boldness, and regional pride that once wove Donegal carpets into palaces around the world — and now finds expression in equally premium Irish whiskey.

This spirit is double distilled using our direct-fired ex-Cognac Charentais pot still and matured onsite in Grade A first-fill bourbon casks, developing rich toffee and caramel notes over time. This small-batch release is exclusive, with just 80 casks available for private ownership.

PRODUCT DETAILS

MASH BILL: 80% MALTED BARLEY, 20% CRYSTAL MALTED BARLEY DISTILLATION: DOUBLE DISTILLED USING DIRECT-FIRED CHARENTAIS POT STILLS

DISTILLATION: DOUBLE DISTILLED USING DIRECT-FIRED CHARENTAIS POT STILLS

CASK TYPE: 200L GRADE A FIRST-FILL EX-BOURBON CASKS

FILLING ABV: 63%

MATURATION LOCATION: ONSITE AT CROITHLÍ DISTILLERY, CO. DONEGAL

TOTAL AVAILABILITY: 80 CASKS ONLY

TASTING PROFILE
(NEW MAKE SPIRIT)

“Dried fruit, tropical fruit, sticky toffee at the nose. On the palate I can get a hint of caramel and toffee with slightly ginger spice at the end. Medium body and surprisingly smooth for a double distilled new-make spirit.”
— Julio Diana, Production Manager

WHAT YOU RECEIVE

Ownership of a full 200-litre cask of premium Irish single malt
5 years maturation under bond in Donegal (this can be extended for a small annual fee thereafter)
Annual updates and regular sampling opportunities
Bottling at 5 or 10 years (flexible options)
Custom labelling under the Croithlí Irish Whiskey brand

BOTTLING OPTIONS

Full Cask Bottling: Bottle the entire contents at your chosen ABV (tax, packaging, and delivery costs apply)
125 Bottles at 46% ABV: We bottle 125 bottles exclusively for you. You forgo the remainder, which covers excise/duty
110 Bottles at 10 Years: Same terms, matured for 10 years

Please note: final bottle numbers may vary based on maturation losses (angel’s share ~3% per annum).

PRICING & TOTAL COST OF OWNERSHIP

Please note the total cost of ownership is calculated as follows:

Cask Price: €7,000 (excluding VAT and Excise Duties)
Government Duties: Revenue Irish Tax and Customs charge Irish Duty based on a yield of 112 litres of pure alcohol per cask, at the current alcohol tax rate of €42.57 per Litre of Pure Alcohol (LPA). This equates to approximately €4,767 in duty per cask
Value Added Tax: VAT is payable on the combined original cost and duty, estimated at €2,706.60
Total estimated VAT and Excise Duties after 5 years: €7,473.60 (subject to change by Revenue)

As long as your cask remains under bond, no VAT or Excise Duties are incurred. A small annual fee is payable for members who wish to leave their cask under bond beyond 5 years.

The above does not include bottling costs, shipping, or delivery to your destination, which will be charged at cost price only. All prices correct as of January 2024.