The fourth chapter of the Midleton Dair Ghaelach series takes us to Kylebeg Wood on the Ballykilcavan Estate near Stradbally, Co. Laois. Situated amidst rolling fields of barley, the native Irish woodland on the estate has been managed carefully and in tune with nature by the Walsh-Kemmis family for thirteen generations, since 1639.

Kylebeg Wood or ‘An Coill Beag’ in the Irish language, translates as the little wood, and it was in this little wood that native Irish oak was planted in 1820 to replace trees that were felled for shipbuilding during the Napoleonic Wars.

Today David Walsh-Kemmis manages the stands of majestic oak in Kylebeg Wood, using a ‘close to nature’ forest management system in line with AFI best practice.  Under David’s astute supervision, seven trees were carefully felled to produce the finest Irish oak hogsheads for the latest chapter in the Dair Ghaelach series.

Very Limited Availability Tree 1: 55.6% ABV Tree 2: 56.1% ABV Tree 3: 56% ABV Tree 4: 56% ABV Tree 5: 56% ABV Tree 6: 55.4% ABC Tree 7: 55.9% ABV