Ornabrak Single Malt Gin

Ornabrak Single Malt Gin is a 43% ABV (86 proof) Irish gin in a 750mL bottle, distilled five times from 100% Irish malted barley — one of the only gins in the world that distills its own base spirit instead of buying in neutral grain. Available to order online from Del Mesa Liquor in San Diego, CA — this is a whiskey drinker's gin.

• ABV: 43% (86 proof)
• Size: 750mL
• Base spirit: 100% Irish malted barley, copper pot-still distilled 4 times, then a 5th distillation with botanicals
• Botanicals (5): juniper berries, Douglas fir needles, garden angelica root, lemon verbena leaf, lemon peel
• Producer: Origin Spirits Ireland Ltd. (est. 2013, Co. Tipperary), distilled by West Cork Distillers, Skibbereen

Malted Barley, Bottled as Gin

Ornabrak comes from the Gaelic for malted barley — "Eorna Braiche" — and founder Patrick Shelley built it on that backbone after senior roles at LVMH houses (Hennessy, Dom Pérignon, Glenmorangie, Ardbeg, Belvedere). His "farm to bottle" program starts with Irish barley and ends in a vintage-apothecary bottle illustrated with botanical art. The malt base gives it a rich, oily mouthfeel and layers of flavor that neutral-spirit gins never reach. Find it among the Ornabrak spirits or compare with the store's wider gin shelf.

Tasting Notes

Nose of juniper, malt, pine, subtle spice and citrus. The palate is smooth and complex — juniper, vanilla, pink pepper, floral green notes, earthy citrus — with a long, persistent finish. One reviewer recommends sipping it neat "like a whiskey" for the oily texture.

How to Enjoy

Try it first neat with a splash of water, the way its malt backbone wants to be met. Then build it into a G&T or a martini — the Douglas fir and lemon verbena keep it distinctive in either.

Frequently Asked Questions

Its base spirit is 100% Irish malted barley, distilled four times in copper pot stills before the botanical distillation — most gins buy in neutral grain spirit.

It comes from the Gaelic for malted barley, "Eorna Braiche."

Five: juniper berries, Douglas fir needles, garden angelica root, lemon verbena leaf, and lemon peel.

Neat like a whiskey with a splash of water, or in a G&T or martini.

Malt backbone, gin soul — order Ornabrak Single Malt Gin online from Del Mesa Liquor in San Diego, CA.