HONEY HIVEBALL 2026
cREATING A BUZZ FROM 05.05.26
THE BRIEF
‘From the goddess of the River Boyne, we take our name.
From the goodness of the Boyne Valley, we take our pure ingredients’
Create your own ‘Hiveball’, containing a minimum 35ml of The Whistler Irish Honey.
The drink must contain at least 1x homemade element, be end-consumer friendly, and have a focus on sustainability.
How have you incorporated sustainable practices in to your serve? Have you reduced waste as much as possible?
❋ Sustainability (10 Points)❋Taste and Drink Presentation (10 Points)Does your Hiveball look appealing? Are the ingredients balanced and have you selected the best method to produce your serve?
❋ Replicability and Consumer-Friendliness (5 Points)Is your drink approachable to the average consumer? Could it be used as a ‘Hero Serve’ for The Whistler Irish Honey, showcasing the liquid whilst creating an easily replicable serve?
❋ Relation to the Brief (10 Points)Have you stuck to the brief? Have you created a Highball with a minimum of 35ml of The Whistler Irish Honey?
❋ Brand History and Relevance to Serve (15 Points)Have you done your research into Boann and The Whistler? Have you related the rich history of the area and the distillery in to your serve?
❋Total 50 Points AvailableThe Whistler Irish Honey Whiskey was a natural collaboration between the Cooney family beekeepers and a love for Irish whiskey. Using some of the finest ex-bourbon matured and sherry finished Irish Whiskey, this was then infused with honey, harvested from the Cooney’s family orchards.
the liquid
The Cooney Family ORCHARDS ARE pollinated by the Cooney’s own bees. Marie, the mother of the family, is the head bee keeper, and has been rapidly growing the bee population thanks to the success of the Whistler Honey Whiskey.
Round 1 - online entry form
Entries open 05.05.26 and close 29.05.26. You must record your entry via the online form at the top of this page, as well as tag us (@maisonferranduk and @whistlerwhiskey) in a photo of your entry on Instagram.
Finalists will be announced on the 05.06.26.
round 2 - UK final
One final will be held in London, UK. This is your opportunity to present your drink to our judges and earn a spot in the grand final! Your judges will include Andy Mooney, Boann Head Blender.
round 3 - uk final, hosted at boann distillery in drogheda, ireland
The top winners from the UK final will be taken on an all expenses paid trip to Ireland to visit Boann Distillery, home of the Whistler Irish Whiskey, where they will get the opportunity to present their drink to the Cooney family and Boann team with the chance of becoming the overall UK Grand Champion. You will be hosted for lunch in the apple orchard on the Cooney family estate, including a honey demonstration by the beekeeper, followed by a full private tour and warehouse tasting experience at the distillery, as well as a night out in the historic Drogheda town where you will be taken to some storied Irish pubs that champion the Whistler brand.
THE process
as well as your all-expenses-paid trip to ireland, the overall winner of the competition will receive an exclusive and rare bottle of
the whistler 21 year old madeira, justino’s collaboration (RRP €999)
signed by the cooney family, head distiller and blender
THE prize
This special bottling tells the story of the passing of time with the Whiskey representing the sun. On the back label we state that this whiskey has been aged no less that 7,665 sun rises and suns sets.
This whiskey is initially matured in Bourbon Barrels for a minimum of 20 Years, then finished in two unique single casks for 18 months that previously held Justino’s Madeira Malvasia fortified wine.
❋ THE WHISTLER 21 YO MADEIRA
In this tale of the passing of time the Madeira represents the moon and has been aged for no less that 260 astro moon cycles.Two 20yo Malvasia Madeira casks were selected, cask 26 and 27. These casks were originally cognac casks with a volume of 350ltrs and made from Quercus Robur French Oak.
Harvested in 1999, these Madeiras use the Malvasia De São Jorge (North Coast) grape, and are aged using the ‘Canteiro’ method.
❋ JUSTINO'S 20 YO MADEIRA MALVASIA
contacts
MFUK Account Managers:
LONDONHelene Viot - hviot@maisonferrand.com
Elise Rafin - erafin@maisonferrand.com
Lucas Kussmaul - lkussmaul@maisonferrand.com
SOUTHJames Garrett - jgarrett@maisonferrand.com
NORTH AND SCOTLANDDaniel Alonso - dalonso@maisonferrand.com