Hyde is an authentically “Presidential quality” whiskey. It honors Ireland’s first President Douglas Hyde, who served his country between 1938-45.
The award-winning Hyde Irish Whiskey of County Cork is a small-batch, hand-crafted Irish independent ‘bonder’, now owned by brothers Conor and Alan Hyde. To create their exceptional whiskies, they hand-select only the very finest Irish whiskey, made by the very best Irish whiskey distilleries, having scoured the world for vintage oak casks to finish them in. Each variety is made at one distillery partner in County Cork, before being matured in the company’s bonded warehouse in Little Island, County Cork.
Conor travels the world, sourcing unique barrels for aging including toasted Oloroso Sherry Hogshead casks from Spain, dark rum from Barbados, bourbon barrels from Kentucky, and ex-Burgundy vintage Pinot Noir casks from the Cote’d’Or vineyards near Dijon, France. The team also experiment with port, Madeira, cognac, and even beer casks, all of which produce a broad range of unique whiskey expressions to explore. They have a stout cask whiskey.
The Hyde family has been involved in making whiskey since 1640 when the family ran a well-known pub at “Tinker’s Cross” near Bandon in West Cork. They were landlords for nearly three hundred years. From their pub, the Hydes sold in Irish whiskey and draught stout straight from wooden oak casks. Vintners over ten generations, the current Connors are the first family members not to run a pub in three centuries but they continue the tradition.
Independent aging and finishing of Irish whiskey go back to the nineteenth century. At one time. every Irish county had its own local independent brand aged in local warehouses.
From a battered gold color to caramel and white gold, every Hyde whiskey uses 100% Irish malted grain ad comes in at least 46% ABV for a fuller, richer flavor experience with a long, smooth finish. Non-chill filtration adds complexity to their profile as well.
The Hydes are experts in the arts of wood management and cask maturation. 80% of the final whiskey taste is as a direct result of the interaction between the maturing ‘new make’ whiskey and the wooden cask in which it is aged.”
Once the casks have been selected, HYDE flame a specific char level at least 250 degrees Celsius for between 15-45 seconds to each vintage oak cask type before filling. This helps open micro-channels in the wood allowing the whiskey to seep deep into the oak to create a very Irish whiskey that is rich in character and unique in taste. Sample the “molecular dance” and get the “cask effect”. It’s all in the wood.
The company’s new customization service enables trade buyers to purchase a personalized cask of its single malt Irish whiskey, finished to their specifications to create a bespoke flavor profile.
After six to eight years’ aging in first-fill, flame-charred ex-Bourbon casks, the Hyde single malt whiskey is then finished for an additional six months in a cask of the consumer’s choice. Options include Pedro Ximénez, Oloroso, Amontadillo and Fino sherry as well as Sauternes, Madeira, armagnac, calvados and vermouth. You can even specify the level of charring and even strength up to 59%ABV.
