All Episodes

September 12, 2023 54 mins
On this episode of "My Favo(u)rite Irish..." I got to spend some time back in May with James Doherty, owner, and Graeme Bell, distiller at the Ardara Distillery in Donegal which is home to Sliabh Liag Distillers.

Hands up, it was my first time visiting Donegal, and I suspect I’m not the only Irish person who’s guilty of that. I got there at the end of a wonderful 6 day road trip that took me through Galway, Mayo, Sligo, and then into Donegal and everywhere I went on the road trip the welcome was worthy of the Cead Mile Failte, or One Hundred Thousand Welcomes that were famous for.

Nowhere more so than at the Ardara Distillery where James and Graeme were incredibly generous with their time as we talked about lots of things. The background to Sliabh Liag, the Ardara Distillery, and their Silkie Whiskey Label. How two Englishmen ended up in this beautiful part of Ireland, sometimes referred to as the Forgotten County due to its remoteness. We touched on Donegal's distilling past and James’ ancestry which included some illicit spirit making. We talked about “grains in” whiskey making as Sliabh Liag is currently the only distillery on the island that uses this approach.

And we talked about the future, and what whiskeys we can expect to see from Sliabh Liag in the coming years as their own distilled stocks slowly come to age.   

And we did all of this talking while sipping on the Irish Whiskey that brought me here, The Legendary Silkie, whiskey that’s responsible for my interest in the peated styles of Irish Whiskey.

Find out more about me and my Irish Whiskey work and watch the "My Favo(u)rite Irish..." Video series on YouTube here.

Links for more info.

Sliabh Liag Distillery Website
Wild AtlanticWay Information

Other Donegal Distilleries
Baoilleach Distillery
Crolly Distillery

Local Pubs recommended by James & Graeme
Nancys
The Corner House 
The Tavern 
John Joe's Pub
Evelyn's Central Bar 
Rusty Mackerel

More details and pictures on the Irish Whiskey LAD website here.

The "My Favo(u)rite Irish..." podcast is listed by Feedspot as one of the Top 5 Irish Whiskey Podcasts online: https://blog.feedspot.com/irish_whiskey_podcasts/


Mark as Played

Advertise With Us

Popular Podcasts

24/7 News: The Latest
Crime Junkie

Crime Junkie

Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.

The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show

The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show

The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show. Clay Travis and Buck Sexton tackle the biggest stories in news, politics and current events with intelligence and humor. From the border crisis, to the madness of cancel culture and far-left missteps, Clay and Buck guide listeners through the latest headlines and hot topics with fun and entertaining conversations and opinions.

Music, radio and podcasts, all free. Listen online or download the iHeart App.

Connect

© 2025 iHeartMedia, Inc.