Mourne Dew Distillery’s Pooka Hazelnut Poitín Liqueur has been crowned Irish Drink of the year 2025 at the Irish Food Writers’ Guild Food Awards for 2025.
Distilling is in Donal Farrell’s blood, but he is the first generation of his family who has made a living from making poitín… well… “legally”.
“One of my grandfathers was born in 1859, he obviously passed before I was born, so I never knew him, but he had a reputation as a poitín-maker – as did his father – so I thought it would be nice to come full circle and start a distillery of my own,” he says with a twinkle in his eye.
And that’s exactly what he did; founding Mourne Dew Distillery in 2017. At Mourne Dew Distillery, Donal and his team produce a variety of whiskies, gins, vodkas, poitíns and liqueurs.
Last week, Donal and the Mourne Dew team were honoured at the annual Irish Food Writers Guild Awards for their The Pooka Poitín Hazelnut liqueur. Donal says he and the Mourne Distillery team were overwhelmed and delighted with the win (another in the bag for their already award-winning line of spirits). The Guild praised this liqueur for its smooth, delicate flavour; derived entirely from Irish hazelnuts.
The Pooka Hazelnut Poitín Liqueur combines rich, nutty flavors with hints of vanilla, chocolate, and cream, offering a smooth, innovative twist on traditional poitín. Recognised for its exceptional quality, it’s a standout among Mourne Dew’s renowned range of spirits and liqueurs.
Donal Farrell, founder of Mourne Dew Distillery, used to be a barrister and some 14 years ago was involved in a trial containing DNA evidence which had been obtained by cold distillation in a forensic laboratory in such a way as to avoid damaging the delicate and complex DNA molecule. He became fascinated with the subject and it inspired him to apply this laboratory technique to the commercial distillation of spirits.
The Mourne Dew cold distillation process offers significant advantages over conventional hot distillation. Energy consumption is much less, chemical separation during distillation is much better thus yielding purer distillates and higher yields, molecular decomposition as a result of heat and pressure is practically eliminated so that distillates retain the fresh flavour of their original botanicals. These are the reasons why Mourne Dew has developed a reputation for the high-quality distillates that go into their finished products.
The award winning Mourne Dew range includes vodkas, gins, whiskies, poitíns and liqueurs. The Pooka Hazelnut Poitín Liqueur has now won the IFWG annual award for best drink. A Pooka is a mischievous spirit in Irish mythology and has had a long association with alcohol, hence the naming of the brand. One of the world’s top restaurants, the three Michelin starred “Core By Clare Smyth” restaurant in London now features the Pooka on its cocktail menu.
Pooka Hazelnut Poitín Liqueur won a silver award at the London Spirits Competition and was runner-up in the Blas na hEireann awards in 2019, being beaten into second place by another Mourne Dew product, their Pooka Poitín Blend No1!
Una Fitzgibbon, Bord Bia Director of Marketing said:
"Bord Bia is proud to support the Irish Food Writer's Guild and its annual awards, which celebrate the excellence and integrity of Irish food producer all across the island of Ireland. These awards are a testament to the dedication and hard work of producers who uphold the highest standards in quality and sustainability. Bord Bia values the opportunity to collaborate with the Guild in recognising and promoting these outstanding contributions to the Irish food sector. The IFWG plays a vital role in highlighting the achievements of these producers, and we commend this year’s eight recipients for their leadership and commitment to sustainable food production."
The IFWG Food Awards ceremony took place at ANANDA Restaurant in Dublin, chosen for its consistent use of high-quality Irish produce, where guests enjoyed a lunch featuring the winning produce, which was created by chef Sunuraj Thadiyil Kuttappan and Conor Spacey, who won a 2024 IFWG Food award for his notable contribution to Irish food.
For more information: www.irishfoodwritersguild.ie / #IFWGAWARDS2025
About the IFWG Food Awards: The IFWG Food Awards are unique in that no business or individual can enter, nor do they know if they have been nominated for an award. The Guild is the sole nominating and decision-making body whose members nominate and anonymously buy products for tasting. Proportional representation voting is undertaken at a Guild tasting meeting. Winning products must be produced in Ireland and the main ingredient must be Irish grown or produced.
Suggested recipes for inclusion:
The Pooka’s Roasted Hazelnut Poitín Fruit Loaf
Ingredients
375g sultanas/raisins/mixed fruit (your choice)
One large egg
235g self raising flour
125g soft dark brown sugar
250ml strong (not stewed) cold tea
100ml Pooka roast hazelnut poitín plus extra for glazing
2tsps mixed spice
1 tsp baking powder
Method
Take a 375gm packet of sultanas/raisins/mixed dried fruit ( you can vary the fruit mix to suit) and soak in 100 mls of Roasted Hazelnut Poitín and 250 mls strong tea for 24 hours (don’t over-soak otherwise they will become too moist and make the loaf mixture soggy)(you may need to adjust the amount of baking powder to help the mixture rise).
Turn on oven to 150C (Fan) and add 125 gms soft dark brown sugar and a large beaten egg to the fruit mix.
Sieve together 2 tsps mixed spice and 1 tsp baking powder with 235 gms self-raising flour and add to fruit mix. Stir well until everything is mixed and transfer into a greased and lined 2lb loaf tin.
Bake for 60 mins.
Remove from oven and tin, and brush liberally with the hazelnut poitín.
Allow to cool and when cold brush again more generously with a good dollop of the poitín.
It will keep well if wrapped in cling-film or foil. Enjoy!
Mourne Dew Distillery Pooka Hazelnut Poitín Liqueur Panna Cotta
Ingredients:
- 500 ml double cream
- 100 ml whole milk
- 80g sugar
- 3 gelatine sheets
- 50ml Pooka Hazelnut Poitín Liqueur from Mourne Dew Distillery
Method:
- Bloom the Gelatine: soak in cold water for ten minutes.
- Heat the Cream Mixture: In a saucepan, heat the double cream, milk, sugar, over medium heat. Stir occasionally until the sugar dissolves. Do not let it boil.
- Incorporate the gelatine: Remove from heat. Squeeze the water from the gelatine and add to the hot cream mixture. Add the hazelnut liquor
Strain and Pour:
- Strain the mixture through a fine sieve for a smoother texture. Pour into ramekins or serving glasses.
- Chill, Refrigerate for at least 4 hours (or overnight)
Serve with a garnish of whipped cream and chocolate sauce.
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