Spirits

Oisín Davis on spirits: Raise a glass to Ireland’s own Valentia Island Vermouth

Orla and Anna Snook O’Carroll have big plans for their brand this year

Anna (left) and Orla Snook O’Carroll launched Ireland’s first vermouth in 2021. Picture: Joleen Cronin

You could be forgiven for not immediately associating locally-made fortified wine with Co Kerry. But thanks to the entrepreneurial efforts of married couple Orla and Anna Snook O’Carroll, The Kingdom is now a vermouth hot spot.

After meeting at a Bristol art school, Anna and Orla have consistently managed to both live and work together. When Brexit wreaked havoc on the corporate event business they were running in Britain, a move to Ireland beckoned.

Valentia ...