An Dúlamán Irish Maritime Gin is the first gin distilled in Co. Donegal. Dúlamán is the name of an Irish folk song which relates a conversation between two seaweed collectors (it is also the name of one of our gin seaweeds). The coast around Sliabh Liag holds an extraordinary bounty for such foragers with their centuries-old knowledge of harvesting and harnessing the qualities of these natural products. An Dúlamán bottles are reminiscent of those found along the Donegal coast during the wrecks of the Spanish Armada. Each bottle is wax sealed and the batch number is linked to the lunar phases.
To make An Dúlamán we capture “Draíocht na Farraige” (the magic of the sea) by using five locally harvested varieties of seaweed, as well as six other botanicals. This makes An Dúlamán as unique as the Donegal coast itself.
To ensure that An Dúlamán maintains its characteristic complexity and softness we have learned that Méabh (our still) likes a low ABV in the pot, and to run in a narrow temperature band to manage the delicate seaweeds. To top it off we take a divilishly narrow cut.
To capture the dry tang of a sea breeze over our wild coastline, An Dúlamán contains five seaweeds including Sweet Kombu, Dulse, Pepper Dulse, Dulaman and superfood Carrageen Moss, bringing an authentic and innovative “umami” twist to the gin category. Bottling at 43.2% is the best ABV at which delicate and complex flavours can be savoured.
An Dúlamán works well with any premium tonic water, especially with lemon tonic or bitter lemon. A dash of elderflower cordial and An Dúlamán topped up with soda water is a tasty alternative. Classic gin cocktails are a must try with An Dúlamán – our own favourite is the Negroni, the soft earthy tones of An Dúlamán stand up to the bitterness of Campari, and of course it makes a mighty martini, with a good splash of vermouth.