Sliabh Liag Distillers takes its name from the towering sea cliffs that stand sentinel over County Donegal on Ireland’s wild Atlantic coast. Often called “a place apart,” this remote, rugged land yields the terroir, folklore and resilience behind every bottle we craft.
Founded in 2014 by James and Moira Doherty, Sliabh Liag is the first legal distilling operation to emerge in Donegal in over 175 years. Inspired by James’s grandfather — a poitín maker from Kilcar — the brand was born from family recipes, homecoming and a mission to reclaim the lost taste of rich, smoky Irish whiskey that once defined the region.
All production takes place at the Ardara Distillery, overlooking Loughros More Bay. Here, three copper pot stills and a traditional “all grains in” mash process honour the methods of Donegal’s illicit distilling forefathers, fused with modern precision. The result is a signature soft mouthfeel and layered smoky character unique to the peninsula.
Every expression is non-chill filtered, bottled at 46% ABV and hand-finished at the distillery. Drawing on Celtic mythology — the Silkie sea-maidens of the Donegal coast — Sliabh Liag’s spirits capture the essence of a wild coastal land and its storytellers, reintroducing drinkers to an Irish whiskey tradition long thought lost.
Named after the mythical Silkie seals of the Donegal coast, The Legendary Silkie is a balanced blend of double and triple distilled single malts, soft grain whiskey and a hint of peated malt, matured in a combination of bourbon, sherry and virgin oak casks.
Made to be savoured slowly or shared with good company, Silkie delivers a signature soft mouthfeel and silken, easy-drinking character that has become the hallmark of the Donegal style.
Fresh and malty, bright with green apple and honeyed sweetness. Gentle buttery notes open into a touch of orchard fruit and soft vanilla.
Exceptionally soft and layered. Honey leads, followed by orange zest, digestive biscuit, brioche and butterscotch, with a warm whisper of stem ginger and a subtle trace of smoke.
Pale Hay
The Legendary Silkie is the foundation of the collection — a whiskey of subtlety, softness and storytelling. Non-chill filtered and hand-bottled in Donegal, it is the perfect introduction to Sliabh Liag’s Atlantic style.
An ode to the Donegal whiskeys of the 19th century, Dark Silkie is a rich, smoky blend designed to reintroduce drinkers to the peated Irish style long lost to history. At its heart sits a triple distilled peated single malt matured in sherry casks, peated to 55ppm and softened to 22ppm through distillation.
Blended with double distilled single malt from bourbon barrels and soft grain whiskey from virgin oak, Dark Silkie delivers depth without overpowering — a whiskey built to be savoured by the glow of a warm turf fire.
Fresh apple, pipe tobacco and the dry, comforting smoke of a peat fire. A rich sweetness underpins the layered smokiness.
Super soft with a salted-caramel sweetness. Dark chocolate and liquorice build depth, supported by oak, leather and a gentle dry-spiced smoke.
Rich Gold
Dark Silkie captures the bold, peated character of Donegal’s distilling past — smoky, balanced and unmistakably different in the Irish category. Non-chill filtered at 46%, it is a whiskey of quiet confidence.
The smokiest expression in the core collection, Midnight Silkie is a blend of four triple distilled single malts and a triple distilled peated single malt at its heart. Matured across an ambitious range of casks — sherry and virgin oak, imperial stout, bourbon, oloroso and red wine — it is complex, layered and built for quiet moments.
Created to be savoured over the midnight watch, it is the most expressive whiskey in the Silkie range: a celebration of cask craft, Donegal folklore and the richest side of peated Irish distilling.
Rich muscovado sweetness, pipe smoke, Christmas spice and orange zest, layered with sandalwood, chocolate orange and earthy malt. Complex and alluring.
Molasses sweetness leads, before dry peat smoke, raisins, sultanas and nutmeg emerge. Toffee apples, tobacco and a warming oak tail carry through to a long, smoky finish.
Deep Gold
Midnight Silkie completes the Legendary Silkie trilogy — the richest, smokiest and most contemplative of the range. Non-chill filtered and bottled at 46%, it is a whiskey designed for the later watches of the night.
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