Product Description
Special Selection to celebrate Winning 3 Stars at Great Taste Awards 2025
14,340 products were put through the competition’s rigorous blind judging process; and Achill Mountain Salt Marsh Lamb Rump in a Rosemary, Garlic and Sea Salt Marinade was dubbed a “delicious and joyful experience” at the world’s most coveted food and drink awards only 273 were awarded a Great Taste 3-star – ‘extraordinarily tasty food and drink’. Described as “properly lamby” and “a joy”, this marinaded Achill salt marsh lamb rump was a big hit with the Great Taste judges.
To celebrate our most recent Great Taste accolade July 2025, adding to the prestigious Irish Food Writer’s Guild Food Award 2022, Calvey’s of Achill have a Celebration Selection ‘limited run’ for you. You can buy a prepared carcass of Achill Salt Marsh Lamb, to do so you choose the desired weight in the drop-down menu. For the next few weeks treat your family to the lamb with the WOW!
What the Judges said:
‘’This is tender, moist, tasty and juicy, with delicate fat that adds to the delight of the taste of this little joint. As with all salt marsh lamb, this has a distinctive taste – not actually salty, but almost sweet, with that umami juiciness which sends you back for another delicious slice. You don’t even think about seasoning it…the taste of the lamb does it for you. The caramelisation on the outside of the meat is delicious. Properly lamby, this is a joy.
What an experience – this is every bit as delicious and joyful as the description suggested. The rump is implausibly tender and juicy, the intrinsic seasoning subtly delightful, the added marinade judiciously executed. “I would run to buy this” said one judge…as would we all.
The aromas of the sea and salt marshes emanate from this beautiful piece of lamb. The texture is perfectly tender, almost melting in the mouth. The garlic, rosemary and salt donate their notes to the flavour profile – we could have finished the entire joint.
The lamb cuts like butter – it is so succulent and melts in the mouth. The additional flavours have been well judged to work gently in the background, just enhancing the meat rather than masking its natural flavour. This is a huge privilege and a delight to eat.’’
This run of Achill Salt Marsh Lamb is available while stocks last as there is limited availability of these carcasses. This offer includes a carcass that is fully butchered and prepared, crafted, packed in bags and boxed. Use the drop-down menu to select the desired weight of carcass and you can fill in an instructions sheet on ordering/checkout. For example there are 2 Full Shoulders (can be chopped, boned rolled and tied or left whole, please specify when giving details at checkout), there are 2 Full Legs can be left whole or halved, add all the Centre Loin and Loin Cutlets and offal is optional. Add €20 delivery to your door across the island of Ireland. All products are fresh meat and are delivered in biodegradable boxes butchered, bagged and labelled ready for you to stock in your freezer if you wish. ORDER TODAY WHILE STOCKS LAST at www.AchillLamb.ie
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Described as “having a unique terroir-related flavour and texture which is similar to mountain lamb from other coastal areas, but with a special extra ingredient contributed by their specific location, the Salt Marsh Lamb was also singled out for special praise by the Irish Guild of Food Writers at their 2022 awards.
These lambs graze salt marsh plants and herbs in the rare ‘machair’ habitat of the sandy seaside banks at Keel – creating what the Calveys evocatively describe as its “heather-sweetened, seaside-seasoned taste”. But, while crucial, it is not just the habitat that makes this product special. The Calveys’ way of doing things is the complete opposite of most mainstream farming operations, particularly meat producers. The difference is that they have control of every stage of the production process. Critically, they have an on-site abattoir so – unlike most animals – these lambs do not have the stress of travelling to a slaughterhouse but remain on their own territory and in the care of familiar people. The same hands-on care applies to the butchery at Calvey’s On-Farm Abattoir Butchers, and the wonderful meats they sell. The Calveys have perfected this product so it’s just right for the plate.
As an example of a farming family who have met challenges with panache, the Calveys of Achill Island would take some beating. Their superb salt marsh lamb (the coveted ‘agneau de pré-salé’) has been even more widely enjoyed, thanks to the way they tweaked an already successful multi-generational enterprise to meet the new market demands. The Calveys have been sheep farmers on Achill Island for over a century and a half, always including several generations of the family working together. This has been the secret of their success in many ways, not least in adjusting to doing business differently during a pandemic. The most sought-after product, the late season Calvey’s of Achill salt marsh lamb, has a unique terroir-related flavour and texture which is similar to mountain lamb from other coastal areas, but with a special extra ingredient contributed by their specific location. Born in mid-summer, much later than lowland lambs, their Mayo Blackface mountain lambs graze salt marsh plants and herbs in the rare ‘machair’ habitat of the sandy seaside banks at Keel – creating what the Calveys evocatively describe as its “heather-sweetened, seaside-seasoned taste”. But, while crucial, it is not just the habitat that makes this product special. The Calveys’ way of doing things is the complete opposite of most mainstream farming operations, particularly meat producers. The difference is that they have control of every stage of the production process. Critically, they have an on-site abattoir so – unlike most animals – their lambs do not have the stress of travelling but remain on their own territory and in the care of familiar people to the end. Calvey’s abattoir is the last on an island that once had two dozen, so the family is very conscious of its importance and determined to keep it going. The same hands-on care applies to the butchery at Calvey’s On-Farm Abattoir Butchers, and the wonderful meats sold at their recently upgraded and relaunched butcher and farm shop at Keel. This shop also sells other Irish artisan products, as well as their own meats and hampers, along with offering an excellent online service, with everything from sausages and burgers to whole carcasses and sides of their special lamb for nationwide delivery. Unusually, they also sell hogget (lamb over one year old) and mutton (over two years), both of which are excellent products that are not widely available. Many Calvey family members are currently involved with this ethically operated and admirably sustainable business and the next generation will soon be represented by butcher Grainne’s son Peter, who is looking forward to taking a part in the business. At a time of such rapid change in the world, in agriculture and towards responsible “less but better” shopping habits, products like Calvey’s Achill Mountain Lamb are not only exceptionally delicious and healthy, but also provide a role model for others – and assure a sustainable future for farming on Achill Island.
