Samuel Gelston’s Celebrates Gilded History with One-of-a-Kind Wild Irish Gold Bottle

Samuel Gelston’s Irish Whiskey continues to celebrate the ‘gold fever’ of its historic founder with the unveiling today (Thursday 15^th December) of a spectacular one-off golden bottle which one lucky whiskey enthusiast can win this festive season.

Handcrafted by wild gold expert and jewellery maker Mark Bell, the bespoke bottle has been gilded with a version of Gelston’s unique star logo made from pure Irish river gold and engraved to pay homage to the whiskey’s unique heritage.

Established in Belfast in the 1830s, Samuel Gelston’s was purchased by daring young Irishman Harry Neill in 1869 who made his fortune in Australia’s famous 1851 Gold Rush. Upon returning to Belfast, Harry used his new-found wealth to build the Gelston’s business and export his own ‘liquid gold’ for the world to enjoy.

Having celebrated this history with a special gold panning event and ‘gold rush’ cocktail campaign earlier this year, Samuel Gelston’s have now commissioned Mark, the Co-Founder of ethical jewellers Jacqueline & Edward, to embellish Samuel Gelston’s signature star on a bottle of their blended Irish whiskey.

The finished piece weighs approximately 8g and is half pure Irish river gold from County Down and County Antrim, and half 18ct yellow gold alloy, made from purely recycled materials.

Mark explains “When I heard that a fantastic whiskey brand wanted to do a collaboration, the whiskey lover in me was over the moon.  Simplicity seemed like the key with regards to the design, so we re-created their signature logo…. but in solid gold. 

Having now sampled some of their whiskey thanks to Samuel Gelston’s generosity, I can say with my hand on my heart that it is a fine tipple and I’m proud to be part of their journey.”

To be in with a chance of winning the striking bottle, UK-based whiskey fans who are over the age of 18 are encouraged to email gelstonsgold@burtgreener.co.uk and state where or how they would most like to enjoy a dram of Gelston’s liquid gold or enter via Gelston’s Instagram @samuelgelstons. The deadline for entries is 29^thDecember and the winner will be notified the following day.

Samuel Gelston’s Owner Johnny Neill commented: “Harry Neill was my great great grandfather so to brings his (and our whiskey’s) golden past to life through this collaboration is really exciting. Jacqueline & Edward jewellers were the perfect fit for our project. Not only are they also a family business, they are experienced gold prospectors who specialise in creating ethical pieces made from wild and Irish gold. Their bespoke bottle is a real one off and we are excited to add some sparkle to somebody’s Christmas by gifting it to them.”

About Samuel Gelston’s

Samuel Gelston’s Old Irish whiskey was founded in 1830 by Samuel Gelston. It was a time when Irish whiskey was famous around the world.

Samuel, a wine and whiskey merchant from Belfast, made it his mission to source, blend and bottle the best Irish whiskey from across Ireland. At the time there were 88 licensed distilleries on the island, and Samuel selected the very highest quality liquids for each bottle.

In 1869, upon Samuel’s death, the business was bought by Harry J. Neill. Harry had previously left Ireland’s shores with his younger brother Percival in order to make their fortunes in the Australian Gold rush of 1851. Having set up and subsequently sold his successful provisions business in Melbourne & Geelong, Harry returned to Belfast and purchased Gelston’s. His brother travelled on to New Zealand to set up Messrs Neill & Co in Dunedin in 1882.

However, the Irish Whiskey landscape faced serious challenges as it entered the 20^th century, and the combined effects of World War I, the Irish War for Independence and finally Prohibition, resulted in the near collapse of the Irish Whiskey industry – which, in turn, led to the demise of Samuel Gelston’s Irish Whiskey.

The brand remained with the Neill family, and five generations on it has now been brought back to life by Harry’s great great grandson, Johnny Neill. Johnny and well-known master distiller Frank McHardy made it their mission to journey across Ireland again to source, bottle and blend the best liquids they could find and Samuel Gelston’s Old Irish Whiskey was reborn.

The current collection includes Samuel Gelston’s Single Malt, Single Pot Still, 5 Year Old Single Malt, 10 Year Old Single Malt, 15YO Single Malt, 26 Year Old Single Malt. Cousins, Johnny & Sam Neill, descendants of Harry and Percival have joined forces on the latest launch that marries Johnny’s Irish Whiskey with Sam’s Pinot Noir New Zealand Wine Casks.

About Jacqueline & Edward

Mark Bell together with his wife Jacqueline represent the family company which is Jacqueline & Edward. They focus on creating handmade wedding rings from eco-friendly recycled precious metals and sustainably panned alluvial river gold. Mark has been panning and prospecting for gold since he was a boy.

2002 Pulteney 18 Year Old “Hunter Laing Old & Rare” Single Bourbon Barrel Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky (750ml) ($200.00)

K&L Notes: The wonderful Pulteney distillery in the town of Wick was at one point the most northerly distillery on the mainland of Scotland. This far-flung distillery was established to support the extremely popular fishing industry in the area. While the herring was plentiful, so were rowdy fishmen, leading to a prohibition in the town from 1922 to 1947. The extreme location of the distillery meant that all supplies for a significant portion of its existence had to come by boat. Now the Old Pulteney brand is starting to become more important, the stocks are now being diverted from blending toward the brand. It’s always been extremely rare on the independent bottler markets, and we’ve only had the honor of selling a few version from Gordon & Macphail and Duncan Taylor over the years. Now this cask from the excellent Hunter Laing Old & Rare line offers a completely classic Pulteney profile. Filled into a bourbon barrel in September 2002 and bottled in January 2022 at a perfect 18 years of age, this whisky is quintessential Pulteney offered in a way the distillery isn’t even able to replicate. If we were to have found an equivalent barrel under the owner’s brand, it would have certainly commanded 2-3 times this price, but be no more delicious. Expect a complex mix of mature malt and vibrant ocean character that exemplifies this excellent distillery. Please remember to add a drop of water or two to release the aromatic potential.

David Othenin-Girard | K&L Spirits Buyer | Review Date: November 08, 2022

This gorgeous cask of Pulteney is one of the best products I’ve ever had from this lovely distillery. Old-school and absolutely pristine, aged 18 years in a fresh bourbon barrel, this is exactly the type of Highland malt I like to drink. In lots of ways, it exemplifies the idea of unpeated ocean malt that the Northern Coast does so well. It’s not as waxy and oily as Clynelish, but with a tons of character. Let’s taste. The color is a vibrant pale gold. The nose is a complex mix of fresh herbs, salted fruit, tea tree oil, and very old, fine wood. On the palate, it’s very malty, extremely sweet, and approachable at full strength, but it’s obviously hiding tons of character behind its 118 proof. With a drop of water and some air, we’ve got a huge change—sweet malt, licorice candies, pulverized stone, distant waves, gooseberries, greengage, petroleum jelly, fragrant scrubby heather, and salty chutney. The palate remains extremely rich and supple now with more salt and a complex mixture of white raisins dipped in dark cocoa powder. This whisky is an absolute dream, offering so much unique character and further solidifying Pulteney as one of the greats of the Northern Coast. It may seem pricey compared to other 18-year-olds we sell/have sold, but is in fact an incredible value considering the quality and scarcity of this special malt.

Andrew Whiteley | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: November 03, 2022

The Old and Rare bottlings from Hunter Laing are always of impeccable quality, and this cask is certainly no different. This 18-year bourbon barrel yielded only 197 bottles of a golden elixir that is sweet and honeyed, as well as salty and fresh. At 58.6% ABV, it’s a big whisky but not overly hot. The nose is full of marmalade, honey, sea spray, lemongrass, peaches, and malt balls. The palate is lifted and lively, jumping from honey and cream to snappy citrus and sweet herbs. With a touch of water, the fruit explodes into a tropical maelstrom set off beautifully by the salty tinge. The finish is long and clean. It’s a beauty all around.

Email: wine@klwines.com
Phone: (877) KL-WINES (Toll Free 877.559.4637)
K&L Wine Merchants 3005 El Camino Real Redwood City, CA 94061 USA
San Francisco, Redwood City, Hollywood CA

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White Heather 21 Year Old

Blended by the expert distillers at Glenallachie, with an exceptional degree of craft and care

£120.00
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White Heather 21-Year-Old was blended by the expert distillers at Glenallachie, with an exceptional degree of craft and care. Matured in a combination of Pedro Ximenex and Oloroso sherry puncheons, in addition to Appalachian virgin oak casks, for long slumber of 21 years. Bottled at 48%. On the nose, we find aromas of beeswax, brown sugar, and peat smoke. Moving onto the palate, flavours of citrus, charred oak, cinder toffee and honey dominate and last long into the finish.

Bunnahabhain 12 Year Old

An absolute whisky shelf staple, and one of Islay’s most famous unpeated drams

£45.00
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Nose: A touch of sweetness and chocolate by the sea.

Palate: A delicate sweetness on the sea air with fruits soaked in sherry.

Finish: Light smoke and salty sweetness.