Echlinville Cocktail Takeover at Belfast Whiskey Week 2023

On a Monday evening in October 2023, Rattlebag played host to one of the festival's most talked-about sessions — a full cocktail takeover led by Echlinville Distillery and the deft hands of Rattlebag's own mixologists. Equal parts theatre and taste, this was a collaboration that reminded everyone why the uisce beatha of the Ards Peninsula deserves to be sipped slowly and celebrated loudly.

About This Event

Looking Back

There are collaborations, and then there are collaborations. When Echlinville Distillery and Rattlebag came together for Event 47 of Belfast Whiskey Week 2023, what followed was something that felt less like a ticketed event and more like an evening of genuine craft, camaraderie, and a shared belief in what Northern Irish spirits can do when given the right stage. From the moment guests arrived at Rattlebag, it was clear this was no ordinary cocktail class.

At the helm for Echlinville was Séamus Óg Birt, whose knowledge of the distillery's portfolio ran deep — the kind of grounded, easy authority that comes from real connection to a place and its production. Rattlebag's mixologists brought their own considerable skill to the table, and the pairing proved a natural one. Over the course of two and a half hours, four cocktails were presented with care and precision, each one designed to showcase a different facet of Echlinville's range. The balance of explanation and enjoyment was well judged — informative without ever feeling like a lecture, lively without losing focus.

Echlinville holds a particular place in the duchas of Irish distilling. When it was granted its licence, it became the first new distillery to open in Northern Ireland in more than 125 years — a fact that still carries weight. The distillery grows its barley on the Ards Peninsula estate, rooted in the tír in a way that few operations can claim. That provenance showed in every pour on the night. The cocktails were not dressing up a mediocre spirit; they were expressions built on a solid, characterful foundation. Guests who wanted to understand the range further could follow the trail — Echlinville's Distillery Day earlier in the week offered a more intimate look into the warehouse and spirit production itself.

What struck many in attendance was the sense of genuine investment — both from the brand and from Rattlebag. This was Echlinville's sixth appearance across BWW2023, a commitment that speaks to what the festival means to them and what they mean to it. Their 'Spirit of Belfast' ethos is not a tagline applied lightly; it was present in the way the evening was run, in the conversation between hosts and guests, and in the respect shown to everyone in the room. The festival's Min/Max Pour Policy was upheld throughout, ensuring the session stayed convivial and considered — as any good whiskey evening should. For those curious about the broader cocktail programme that week, the Dublin Liberties Cocktail Masterclass offered a fascinating counterpoint from the other end of the island.

At £40 for four cocktails and a masterclass of this calibre, the value was hard to argue with. But more than the price point, what lingered was the quality of the encounter — the sense that Echlinville and Rattlebag had come together not just to put on a show, but to share something they genuinely believed in. Sláinte mhaith to that.

The Brand: Echlinville Distillery

Northern Ireland's first new distillery in over 125 years. Echlinville grows its barley on the Ards Peninsula estate, rooted in the tir.

More from Belfast Whiskey Week

• 61: Dublin Liberties: Cocktail Masterclass
• 66: Echlinville Distillery: Distillery Day (Welcome to the Warehouse)
• 70: Killowen: Poitín & Poutine
• 100: W.D. O’Connell x Rattlebag Collaboration
• 59: Echlinville Distillery Day
• 61: Cocktail Making with Echlinville Distillery

Explore the full programme on the Belfast Whiskey Week Whiskey Map.

Event Gallery