Dingle - Single Malt - Batch No.1 - Review

For years Irish whiskey has been relying exclusively on three main distilleries to produce a range of spirits to sell the world over and help build the now rejuvenated reputation of Irish whiskey.  These distilleries are obviously Midleton, Bushmills and Cooley.

In recent times though we have seen a new wave of Irish distilleries appearing on the scene, all with their own ambition to start to diversify the range of Irish Whiskey available to the general public.  One of these distilleries is Dingle.

Situated in the South West of Ireland, on the "Wild Atlantic Way", Dingle Distillery was created in 2012.  Using their three gorgeous pot stills, the first spirit to be distilled in Ireland, outside the big three of Midleton, Bushmills and Cooley, ran from their stills back in November 2012.

Reading through their website, you can see that a key point in their whiskey making process is the design of their stills.  They deliberately opted for spirit stills that would create extra reflux during the distilling process, allowing them to create a finer spirit to be filled into their ready waiting casks.

Their small, but "artisan", set up only allows them to create enough spirit to fill around two casks per day, so in their own words they understand they may never be a global megabrand, but having visited the distillery myself I can tell you that their passion, and will to succeed, is no less than any large distillery you would find anywhere on the planet.

With the main stills running, they set about creating single malt and pure pot still whiskey, and while waiting for these spirits to mature they also released their own brand of gin and vodka, which I'm sure many of you have already seen in a few bars, or off licences, around Ireland.

Now when it comes to maturing your own whiskey, a lot of people would have different views on how and when your first release should arrive.  Some may say that you should wait for at least 5 - 6 years, allowing the cask to mellow your spirit, before allowing the public to form any opinion about what you are producing but Dingle kicked that idea firmly into touch by releasing their "Batch No.1" in late 2016, when the whiskey would have been around a very late 3 years old.

Some may ponder if a much needed injection of funds was the driving force behind such an early release but, having tasted "Batch No1" myself, I would say it's nothing more than a solid vote of confidence behind the spirit and whiskey they are producing in Dingle.

The first release of "Batch No.1" was a triple distilled single malt and it arrived in two forms, one of which was bottled at a healthy 46.5% ABV while the other was a much bolder cask strength version. 

Needless to say, demand for both versions was phenomenal and most retailers saw their stock disappear before they could believe, but I now believe that a second release of "Batch No.1" is back on the shelves.

On a recent trip to Dublin I happened to pop into the whiskey shop attached to The Temple Bar itself.  Inside the store they had a nice selection of whiskeys along with many open bottles if you wished to purchase a measure.  As I'm sure you can guess I quickly spotted a 46.5% ABV bottle of the Dingle Single Malt "Batch No.1".

I've waited a long time to sample any official Irish whiskey, other than that of the big three, so naturally I purchased a glass and set about jotting down some tasting notes.

Now before I move onto my notes I'd like to point out, if it even needs to be said, that this is obviously very young whiskey and only an indication of where the distillery is at now and where it is headed in years to come.

Onto my notes:

Nose - Undeniably young with that peppery, new make, clove rock coming right through the spirit.  Once you let it settle a while you pick up lovely notes of citrus with lemon biscuits seeming to dominate.  The citrus is also represented by some light candied orange peel and a malted sweetness comes through also.  Now for the "Dingle" effect which is something I haven't really experienced in an Irish whiskey to date.  Running throughout the whiskey is a deliciously rich, salted butter undertone.  The salt note, I can only presume, has obviously come from that gorgeous North Atlantic air sweeping off the coast where Dingle is situated.  This is really good for such a young age.

Palate - Clean, crisp arrival that leads to more of the sweet malt and touches of pepper.  The citrus also continues along with the obvious bite of youthful new make.  At 46.5% ABV I was hoping for a much thicker coating around the mouth but the creamy butter element is still here to bring a little richness to the experience.

Finish - Crisp with lemon, apple and warming spices.

Overall this has really impressed me.  Without doubt this is a young whiskey but it is already starting to display a tasty richness in the spirit and is, in my opinion, already starting to take on some coastal elements from the maturation process.

This, as a first release, is one to look out for and try for yourself.  I honestly don't think Dingle Distillery could have asked for more to come out of this whiskey. 

You can clearly see that their commitment to producing quality whiskey is there in the glass and, for me, this is a whiskey that is only going to get better, and better over time.

They will obviously be restricted to do this, but I hope they can bring out some form of release year on year so that we can all see exactly how well this delicious spirit is progressing.

It has always been a concern, of every lover of Irish whiskey, to see if all these new distilleries could actually walk the walk after talking the talk, but if you can manage to get a glass of Dingle Single Malt in your hand you can taste for yourself that Dingle are firmly on two feet and already walking in the right direction.

Until next time,

Sláinte

SI

West Cork - 12 year old Port Cask Finish - Review

Having first started in 2003, West Cork Distillers are a company I have heard different stories about without actually ever getting a chance to try any of their whiskeys.  I was therefore only too happy when I recently got the chance to get a couple of samples and see exactly what they have to offer.

Like I said the company has been on the go since 2003 and in 2013 they moved their distillery into larger premises based in Skibbereen, West Cork.

They are responsible for a range of whiskeys, vodka and liqueurs with brands such as Drombeg, Two Trees, Lough Hyne, Kennedy and of course their West Cork Whiskey.

With regards to the whiskey side of things, they can boast an ever increasing range with two blends to accompany a range of aged and finished malts.

Moving on to this review, one of the samples I recently received was of the West Cork 12 year old Single Malt - Port Cask Finish.

From looking about online, it's pretty hard to get much detail behind the whiskey but it seems that it has had a short finish in a port cask before being bottled at 43% ABV.  They are very clever to neglect to mention whether the malt is double or triple distilled so as to obviously disguise the origin of the original spirit.

I am not sure where the company are at with their own distilled spirit but I would probably guess that the current range may have started it's life in Co. Louth (if you know what I mean).

As with a lot of other new Irish whiskeys I've no doubt that West Cork are carrying out the finish themselves so there is still a lot of room for them to stamp their own flavour onto the whiskey.  The question is can they deliver?  Let's find out.

Onto my notes:

Nose - Initially this is a bit tricky to get to grips with as the obvious tropical notes battle with the port finish for dominance.  As it develops the tropical flavours win the battle with fresh banana, banana cream, a little green apple and a touch of lemon zest zing.  The Port still finds time to come through with a little blackcurrant and raspberry.  It would almost put you in mind of "Fruits of the Forest" yoghurt with the cream notes still coming through also.  Any idea of spice is very restrained with only the mildest of pepper lingering under the fruits.  With time the darker Port fruits marry with the citrus element to bring out a little orange.  Very nice actually.

Palate - Initially it's all more of the same with citrus and banana giving way to red berries and a little more spice.  Deeper lemons and oranges are to the fore with the black pepper and clove coming through nicely.  The berries are also a lot deeper with distinct blackcurrant tailing off into a little more green apple.  The fruits on the palate are definitely a lot more richer in nature and I have to say this works really well.

Finish - Deep, juicy, Port wine berries, a little dry spice and sour apple sweets to finish.

Overall I have been pleasantly surprised by this whiskey.  Like I said I had heard a lot of different things about West Cork Distillers but it's only when you actually try a product should you form your own opinion.

What I've discovered is that they certainly seem to have good malt whiskeys under their control and they also seem to know how to pack some extra flavour into them with good finishes in good casks. 

The price point is also very decent too with the 12 year olds setting you back about €50, or about £45 at current exchange rates.

At these prices I'd definitely recommend this whiskey and West Cork Distillers are a company I shall be keeping a close eye on as they move forward.

Until next time,

Sláinte

SI

Teeling - Revival Volume II - Review

Well over a year ago Irish whiskey lovers were treated to something special from the Teeling Whiskey Company as they released their first ever "Revival" bottling. 

This first release was a 15 year old single malt, matured exclusively in rum casks, and was introduced to mark the opening of the new Teeling Whiskey Distillery in Dublin city centre.

Moving on to the end of last year and we witnessed as Teeling released "The Revival - Volume II" to mark the one year anniversary of the Teeling Whiskey Distillery.

This "Second Coming" is a 13 year old single malt that was distilled in 2002 before being initially matured for about 12 years in ex-bourbon casks.  It was then finished for a further 12 months in an ex-Calvados, French apple brandy, cask.

It has then been bottled at 46% ABV and without chill filtration.

Onto my notes:

Nose - Orange, lemon, cut grass, honeyed lemon with lovely wafts of sweet malt barley.  Clean and distinct.  A little tropical banana with a nod towards banana ice cream.  Orange marmalade, dried orange, candied lemon peel.  Not a lot of spice going on here which allows it to come across as a fruit explosion.  Green and red apple which come across both as fresh and stewed.  Beautiful mix of sweet fruit salad.

Palate - Rich malt with a seriously rich citrus undertone.  Sweet orange and lemon combine with a little spice which arrives with the feeling that it's more from the casks than the spirit.  Apart from that the oak influence is restrained with the flavours from the Calvados having a lot more of a say.  Ripe red apples and a little more of the green, cut grass note from the nose.  The sweetness is almost overpowering on the palate but the savoury green element, along with a minor amount of spice, just about hold it all together.

Finish - Long and juicy with a little hint of dry wood spice.  This then disappears into a heady blast of ripe red apples.

Overall I have to say, I prefer this much more to the first release.  This is one fruit beast of a whiskey.

A full fruit salad is on display with top notch sweet malt.  Cask influence is restrained but having just enough of a say to bind everything together with a little cream from the oak.

This is a seriously good Irish whiskey and has classic notes which are now found regularly throughout the Teeling range.

Think I may have to splash the cash on a bottle of this, very impressive.

Until next time,

Sláinte

SI

Echlinville - Port Morant Rum Finish - Preview / Review - 1 year on

Last year I brought you all a preview / review of something very special that Echlinville Distillery are currently working on.  This was their single malt that is currently being finished in a Port Morant rum casks.  For anyone wishing to see the original update, along with tasting notes from last year, you can do so by clicking here.

For those of you that want to cut straight to the chase I shall recap.

In 2015 Echlinville acquired some 14yo whiskey, my guess is that it may be from Cooley, and set about placing it into some very interesting casks.  Echlinville pulled out all the stops and managed to get their hands on rum casks from the exclusive Port Morant distillery in Guyana.

The casks, that held the flavoursome rum for many years, are now transferring the aged flavours onto this Irish whiskey.

The first sample I received was after the whiskey had only been in the casks for a few weeks and the most recent sample I received was just over a year later, making this now firmly in the 15yo category.

For information the first sample I received was at 50% ABV, and this most recent sample was straight from the cask, but it remains to be seen what strength the final release shall come out at. 

As with the first review I'd just like to highlight that any notes listed below should be slightly different to the final release but, as you will see, I doubt there will much to worry about, with regards how the final release should taste.

Onto my notes:

Nose - Initially heavy with fresh green apple but this quickly moves into smooth vanilla wood, rum and raisin ice cream and even banana ice cream.  The fruit flavours are rich and intense, no doubt brought on by the cask strength nature of the alcohol, yet the smooth oak encompasses them beautifully.  Some deeper notes lurk in here also with stewed orange and a little hint of raspberry.  The balance between spirit, wood and rum influence is very nice indeed.  As the dram opens up the fruit flavours begin to dominate with further banana in the form of foam banana sweets and a little banoffee pie.  There's not much spice on the nose and I feel this may be the wood having a nice restraining effect.  Right at the end there's also a little touch of white grape.  With water the fruit is intensified and the oak vanilla becomes more prominent.

Palate - Intense, dry arrival and a lovely balance of fruit and oak spice.  The fruit comes in with more fresh green apple, banana cream, and more rum and raisin ice cream.  We now also have spice in the form of prickly black pepper which brings a nice extra dimension.  The influence bestowed upon this whiskey, by the cask, is big, bold and pretty darn good.  The oak has brought a lip smacking dryness that arrives from the first sip and lingers long after the dram is finished.  The intensity of the alcohol brings a hint of grappa which ties in with the white grape picked up on the nose.  With water the fruit is again softened down.

Finish - Medium length, dry yet juicy and extremely delicious.

Overall this is a seriously good Irish fruit bomb of a whiskey.  This is turning into the beast I had hoped it would become nearly a year ago.

The fruit notes are deep, rich and intense.  I feel that this whiskey is nearly ready to be taken from the cask and bottled for everyone to enjoy. 

When it is released I shall be interested to see what strength Echlinville end up choosing for the final bottling.  The two samples I have tasted are probably both higher in ABV, than how the final product shall be presented, but I hope they keep the strength high to show off all the rich ,intense goodness that is packed into this whiskey.

Echlinville are certainly moving from strength to strength, and gaining a lot of admirers on the way, and I have no doubt that once they release this Port Morant finished whiskey they will gain a hell of a lot more.

Until next time,

Sláinte

SI

The Irishman - 12 year old Single Malt - Review

A few weeks ago I had the pleasure of taking part in a Tweet Tasting, hosted of course by Steve Rush of "TheWhiskyWire.com", in which all involved were presented with whiskeys from Walsh Whiskey.

Since 1999, when the company was first founded, Walsh Whiskey have gone from strength to strength.  In the last 17 years they have seen their "Irishman" and "Writers Tears" brands grow and as recently as this year they have seen the opening of their brand new distillery at Royal Oak, County Carlow.

When looking closely at the Royal Oak distillery you can see that Walsh Whiskey mean business when it comes to producing Irish whiskey.  They currently have the capacity to produce 650,000 cases of whiskey per year and, with pot and column stills located on site, they can boast the unique accolade of being able to distil all three types of Irish whiskey in one still house.

They also have warehouses located on site with the ability to mature 60,000 casks of whiskey at any one time.

Getting back to the Tweet Tasting we had 3 different whiskeys to get through, along with a sample of new make pot still.  The 3 whiskeys on show were The Irishman 12 year old, Writers Tears "Copper Pot" and Writers Tears "Red Head".  For this review I shall be focussing on The Irishman 12 year old.

The Irishman 12 year old is a triple distilled Irish single malt that has been matured in 1st fill bourbon casks.  It has been bottled at 43% ABV and without chill filtration.

What immediately stands out for me is the fact that they state it is a triple distilled single malt, meaning that there's only one distillery they could have obtained this single malt from, and I was very interested to see exactly how Walsh Whiskey would present this whiskey given that the spirit should be of excellent quality.

The use of 1st fill bourbon casks is, for me, a major plus as this shows that Walsh Whiskey are intent on making sure this whiskey is shown off in the best way possible and with the bottling strength at 43% ABV this should also add an extra dimension to this whiskey.

Onto my notes:

Nose - Buttered brown toast, ripe banana and mashed banana.  Savoury cut grass keeps the sweetness in check.  Green apple and a little dusty oak comes through with vanilla cream which brings a feel of banoffee pie and cream.  Not much spice in here but maybe just a touch of black pepper.

Palate - Light, smooth arrival that gives way to more intense flavours of fruit and now a little more spice.  Toffee apple, lemon drops, stewed orange and a lovely dryness from the oak.  Little savoury notes pop up here and there and again these keep the sweet notes restrained perfectly.  The sweet and savoury combine to give a very balanced experience, delicious.  Then, just when you think there's nothing left, a light dustiness runs through the palate to give a sense of age and luxury.  Impressive.

Finish - Smooth, sweet and extremely moreish.

Overall this is a fantastic dram of Irish whiskey. 

Recently a lot of whiskeys have fallen short of what has been expected and have been left floundering in the "style over substance" category.  What we have here is substance over style. 

Walsh Whiskey have taken a clean, classic, well made spirit and elevated it to great heights.

They have taken time to ensure the whiskey is given the care it needs to truly shine.  If this is in any way indicative of what they have planned for their own spirit, when it is matured and ready for release, then we are in line to experience something special.

They seem to have a strong understanding of what it takes to present whiskey in a way that shows off it's true potential.

This is the first time I've really had a chance to sit down and examine any of the "Irishman" range and I can't express enough how impressed I am with this whiskey.  I think it's time to get out there and seriously try the rest of the range, which includes "Founders Reserve", their NAS single malt and their cask strength single malt.

Here's to the future of Walsh Whiskey.

All I have left to say is a huge thank you to Steve Rush at TheWhiskyWire.com, where anyone can apply to join in the fun of the tweet tastings, and also a big thank you to Walsh Whiskey for the excellent sample.

Until next time,

Sláinte

SI

Bushmills - "Steamship" Sherry Cask - Review

For too long I had stood by and watched my beloved Bushmills become seemingly stuck in the mud while every other Irish whiskey company moved onto the tarmac and planted their respective accelerators, sending them off into the Irish whiskey future.

This was of course until 2014 when the magical news came through that the evil overlords Diageo had been ousted from their Northern Irish coastal base by the family owned company Jose Cuervo. 

Now, say what you like about Diageo, but the truth is they seemed to have absolutely no interest in promoting the Bushmills brand in any shape or form.  Yes they may have provided significant inward investment into the distillery, but, without any outward activity, the brand was always going to stagnate in a market that was growing faster than any other in the drinks industry.

The arrival of Jose Cuervo was therefore a breath of fresh air and they immediately set their stall out by stating that they understood "the importance of nurturing and protecting the heritage and quality of a brand" and that they were "strongly committed to doing exactly that with Bushmills".

At long last Bushmills was back, or at least it should've been.

At various tastings I heard rumours of new ideas, and possible single cask releases, but for the better part of 18 months Bushmills seemed to remain quiet.

This all changed in February of this year when, finally, we had a new release to celebrate.

This was of course the announcement of the new "Steamship" collection, a collection consisting of three permanent “special cask matured” variants plus regular limited edition releases.

The collection itself was inspired by the historical SS Bushmills steamship and celebrates its maiden voyage in the 1890s.  After being commissioned, by then owner the Boyd Brothers, it sailed across the world, travelling as far as Philadelphia and Yokohama, returning with refilled casks of rum, fortfied wine and Bourbon.

The first release in this range was the Sherry Cask Reserve, a no-age-statement single malt Irish whiskey exclusively matured in Oloroso Sherry butts before being bottled at 40% ABV and put on sale at a price of £65.

Being a NAS whiskey, travel retail only and at a relatively high price point I had my concerns.  This wasn't exactly what I had wanted to see but I suppose I should've been grateful there was any release at all.  I only hoped the flavour, and style, of the whiskey would hold up to scrutiny.

Onto my notes:

Nose - Classic cut grass Bushmills nose.  Mashed banana on brown toast, a little candied sweetness, cinnamon lozenges, alcohol soaked raisins and light Christmas cake.  A lot more of the lighter and sweeter than the deeper and heavier, if you know what I mean.  Pressed apple juice and gentle red fruits with hints of strawberry and black cherry.  The lack of depth highlights the youthfulness and for being matured exclusively in Sherry casks it feels like the casks may have been a little "tired".  Flavours are nice but in truth I was expecting a little more.

Palate - Shockingly poor mouth feel.  Thin to the point of diluted.  What flavours you do get are some spiced sherry fruits and a little sweet orchard fruits.  This feels like a beginners whiskey.  No depth, no balance, no age and no character.  Really disappointing.  This is screaming out for more maturation, and a higher strength, but unfortunately has neither.

Finish - Thankfully short, allowing me to find something better to drink.

Well that's completely taken the wind out of my sails.  Any hope, and excitement, I had about the future of this fantastic distillery has been wiped out in one glass.

Taking over a distillery, of this magnitude, you need to hit the ground running, in a market that's growing so quickly.  Instead they have released, in my opinion, overpriced nonsense that will only damage whatever reputation was left after the dark days of Diageo.

Looking forward things aren't much better with a Port Cask release on the horizon.  Another 40% ABV, NAS bottling with another £30+ added onto the price.

What angers me even more is when you're at a Bushmills tasting, you get a sense of what whiskey they have under their control.  When you speak with the long term staff, you get a feeling of the pride and ambition they have.  When you taste certain other Irish whiskeys, that may be using Bushmills spirit, you see exactly what they could be capable of.

Instead we're left with sub-standard, travel retail only, releases that could damage Bushmills beyond repair.

I'd love to know where their aversion to bottling at a higher strength comes from?  Bushmills is a beautifully light and delicate spirit, and that can come through delightfully in some releases, but I see no harm in giving the whole range a boost by simply upping the strength to maybe 46% ABV. 

It's obvious that this Steamship Sherry Cask would've benefitted from it.

I will certainly sample the Port Cask release but there's no way I'll be buying a bottle and if the quality is similar to this release I may have to abandon sampling this Steamship collection altogether.

Until next time,

Sláinte

SI

Echlinville - Port Morant Rum Finish - Preview / Review

While attending last years "Whiskey Live Dublin" I was lucky enough, whilst chatting at the Echlinville stand, to nab a sneak preview sample of a whiskey they shall be hopefully releasing later this year.

Since establishing themselves, not far from Belfast on the Ards peninsula, Echlinville have been quietly going about their business.  Not only have they set about producing their own spirit, which is already maturing away in a range of casks, but they have also revived the much revered "Dunville's" brand.

This revival has continuously gathered momentum with the Dunville's 10yo PX Sherry Finish recently picking up the award for "Best Irish Single Malt - 12years & under" at the World Whiskies Awards......for the second year running.

Now they are planning to add to their range of finished whiskeys with a new release later this year.

In 2015 Echlinville acquired some 14yo whiskey, my guess is that it may be from Cooley, and set about placing it into some very interesting casks.  Echlinville seem to have pulled out all the stops and managed to get their hands on rum casks from the exclusive Port Morant distillery in Guyana.

The casks have held the flavoursome rum for many years and are now transferring the aged flavours onto this Irish whiskey.

The sample I received was after the whiskey had only been in the casks for a few weeks but the finished release will have seen the whiskey being possibly finished for up to a year which may make this a 15yo release.

For information the sample I received was at 50% ABV but it remains to be seen what strength the final release shall come out at. 

I would also just highlight that this is obviously no more than a general indication as to the quality of the whiskey, and how it may fare with a serious rum finish, and any notes listed below should be slightly different to the final release but, as you will see, I doubt there will much to worry about with regards how the final release should taste.

Onto my notes:

Nose - Initial note is of intense tropical fruit, banana, pineapple and a little melon.  There's also a little green apple going on in here.  Creamy vanilla combines delightfully with the fruit to give a sense of a glorious dessert.  Fruit salad sweets.  A little dusty old oak comes through and is almost sherry in nature.  There's also a little prickly spice but not too much and the whole experience is very well balanced.  Rum notes are present but are very subtle with rum and raisin ice cream.  Definite sense of dried fruit which only backs up the sherry feel.  With water the oak is toned down and the fruits seem to marry together like a stew.  Touches of orange also appear.

Palate - Rich and indulgent.  Initial hit is of serious oak maturation which is dry and spicy.  This gives way to more of the tropical fruit salad flavours.  Banana and green apple are to the fore.  We then move back to the wood influence with more dusty dried fruits that ease into a spicy dry pepper.  Quite complex and delicious.  With water the fruity notes of the spirit appear to be elevated with a distinct zing about them.

Finish - Fresh apple and dry spice with decent length.  A little buttered note appears right at the end.

Overall I'm impressed.  If this is a sign of where Echlinville is heading then they've got my attention.  It seems that with this 14yo, and the previously mentioned 10yo, Echlinville are getting their hands on some great whiskey and putting their own touch on it with some amazing casks. 

This whiskey has already taken on fine fine notes of tropical rum and could be an absolute beast of a whiskey come its release date.

The only thing to query is what price the finished product shall hit the shelves at?  My answer would be that, as along is it's not outrageous, it should be well worth it.

I'm genuinely starting to get excited about the direction Echlinville is heading.  All I can say to them is please give us more of he same and roll on the day your own spirit is ready for us all to enjoy.

Until next time,

Sláinte

SI 

Bowmore - Mizunara Cask Finish - Review

Happy New Year!!

Back in August, last year, whisky based social media began to explode with a hashtag of #EastMeetsWest and the reason behind this was the long awaited new release from Bowmore, their Mizunara Cask Finish.

Now, NAS whiskies, with a fancy finish, are certainly nothing new, and you'd be right for questioning why such a whisky was getting so much hype, but it seems the unique selling point behind this whisky was the fact that it had been finished, for around 3 years, in Mizunara oak, which had been exported from Japan for the first time ever.

Mizunara casks, whilst widely used in Japan, have, until now, never seen the shores of the British Isles and I was certainly interested to see how this exotic wood would impact on a classic peated malt.

The whisky itself is made up of whiskies distilled in the 1990s which would mean that all whiskies involved in this bottling could maybe be between 15 and 25 years old.  Given that this is a NAS whisky I would guess that we are looking at the lower end of this spectrum and Beam Suntory knew fine rightly that if they were to stick an age of 15yo on this, at the price it retailed at, then eyebrows would be raised even further than they already were.

Moving onto the price, a look around most websites shows that, when in stock, this retailed at around £650!!!  Further investigation would suggest that the inevitable arrival of these bottles onto the auction scene has seen them reach around £1000 per sale.

ABSOLUTELY CRAZY!!!

The release was limited to 2000 bottles and the whisky itself was bottled at a cask strength of 53.9%.

Onto my notes:

Nose - Delicious. Soft gentle peat, as you would expect, with soft toasted oats and rich porridge.  Ginger biscuits.  The fruit borders on the tropical with cooked banana, watermelon and spiced orange.  Nice note of vanilla chocolate which leans towards milk chocolate.  There's a few dusty notes in here that give a sense of age.  With water the wood becomes more prevalent and it is smoked in nature...naturally.  It also becomes more vibrant with intense orange cream.

Palate - Bitter, acrid smoke arrival but this is not as unpleasant as it's sounds.  Definite hint of salt.  As the arrival eases the fruit starts to appear but it needs a little water.  Just before the water was added there was a little dry wood and wood smoke.  With water the bitterness is eased just enough to let the orange and smoke to come together wonderfully.  The casks still have their say though with a lip smacking intensity.

Finish - Great length with the fruits becoming fresher and the mouthfeel becoming drier, think of an intense dry white wine.  At the end the soft Bowmore peat comes back for one last hurrah and this entices you back in for a another sip.

Overall this is a great whisky and a great example of an excellent Islay distillery showing that you don't always have to be all Ardbeg with your peat to get the peat experience across to whisky drinkers.  The Bowmore style is one that I am enjoying more and more each time I encounter it.  This is no exception, the softness of the peat marries perfectly with the fruits and you do get a sense that the wood has brought this all together.

That said, I do have a few issues here.  Firstly, I don't really get what this wood has added to what I've already tasted before from Bowmore.  Maybe a few more tropical notes but nothing mind blowingly different. 

Secondly, the price for this whisky is quite simply OUTRAGEOUS.  In my opinion, those of you who paid the £650 when it was released are crazy, and those of you who are paying £1000 for this at auction need locked up for your own good.  Yes this is a very tasty whisky but I'm going to make a suggestion that might send a few of you over the edge.

There is another Bowmore expression, that I have enjoyed in a similar sense, and it won't cost you the earth to buy.  For me you can all keep your bottles of Mizunara Cask and I shall stick to the Bowmore "Small Batch Reserve".  

At around £35 a bottle this won't break the bank and, for me, is just as tasty.  Slightly different, for sure, but a clean, crisp, peated whisky that shows off a soft character whilst showing the classic Bowmore spirit off in a relatively natural form.

Well that wraps that up and lastly I would to say a special thanks to all who have read this blog over 2015.  Unforeseen circumstances meant that my writing tailed off towards the end of 2015 but this is now 2016 and I shall be getting back into the swing of things with plenty of reviews coming up.  Hopefully you shall enjoy reading them as much as I enjoy tasting them.

Until next time,

Sláinte

SI 

An Evening With Glendalough Distillery

It had been a while since I had been down, but last month I attended the Hudson Bar, Belfast to partake in one of their "Whiskey Club" evenings.

The reason for making the extra effort was due to the fact that this evening was being hosted by Glendalough Distillery and more specifically, one of their founders, Gary McLoughlin. 

This is a distillery that has been around for a good few years but, at the same time, one I had little experience of.

Labelling themselves as "Ireland's first craft distillery", Glendalough was formed in 2011 and are one of the many new start distilleries that have been popping up across the whole of Ireland in recent times.  The Distillery was founded by five gentlemen who, having all previously worked in the drinks industry, decided to finally take the plunge and stop working for others, to start working for themselves.

"Determined to carve their own way", the founders looked towards the medieval monastic settlements, where the craft of distillation was born, for inspiration.  Located just south of Dublin, Glendalough, Co. Wicklow, is the site of one such settlement which was first established, in the sixth century, by the Irish monk St. Kevin.

Today St. Kevin is instantly recognisable as the figure on the front of every bottle of Glendalough Whiskey, "serving as a symbol of the independent character and ancestral reverence at the heart of Ireland's first craft distillery."......How's that for some marketing spiel??

Getting back to the night in question though, Gary McLoughlin did offer a lighter note, as to the symbol of St. Kevin, by suggesting that he was to Glendalough what Mr. Jack Daniels, himself, is to the bourbon we all know very well.

Moving onto the drinks side of things we had a nice line up to work through.  On show for the evening was the "Double Barrel" Single Grain, 7yo Single Malt, 13yo Single Malt and their brand new Autumn Gin.

Starting off with the "Double Barrel" we are told that this single grain is made from a mash bill containing 90% Corn and 10% Malted Barley.  The distilled spirit was then matured for 3 and a half years in a 1st fill ex-bourbon cask, from Wild Turkey, and then given a 6 month finish in an ex-Oloroso cask before being bottled at 42% ABV.

As far as single grains go, it's pretty good.  Very smooth with the Oloroso influence very evident and a nice peppery, savoury note.  We are also informed that this "Double Barrel" also recently won a double gold at this years "San Francisco World Spirits Competition".

At time of writing Glendalough also have a triple barrelled single grain available on the U.S. market which has had the addition of Madeira maturation.  In time it may make it's way to these shores.

It's important to note that, at the moment, Glendalough have no aged stock of their own whiskey, so each whiskey is currently sourced from Cooley in Co. Louth.  What is also important though is that it doesn't necessarily matter so much where the spirit is originally from, but how it is handled and released by those who purchase it.

Glendalough have started distilling their own whiskey and only 3 weeks prior to this event they had produced their first pot still whiskey which was casked into ex Maker's Mark barrels.

At this point I'd also like to add that I'm a firm believer that Irish single grain has the opportunity to dominate this particular area of the whiskey market.  With the likes of Kilbeggan (formerly Greenore) and Teeling Single Grain already out there, and also having recently tasting a Midleton Single Grain (although admittedly this may never be released as a single grain), I honestly believe that Irish Single Grain knocks the socks off anything coming out of Scotland, where it is mostly used as blend filler.

Moving onto the 7yo Single Malt we are treated to an array of further marketing as to why the number "7" is so important but to move things along I shall just concentrate on the liquid in the bottle.  This is a double distilled single malt that has been aged in 1st fill ex-bourbon barrels from Wild Turkey before being bottled at 46% ABV.

On first taste it is, for me, undoubtedly Cooley in origin.  An lovely bourbon smoothness is accompanied by green apple, soft banana and soft grain.  As far as awards go this also was successful in San Francisco, picking up a silver medal.

Before moving onto the 13yo we get an insight as to what to expect in the near future with explanation that Glendalough currently have 10yo whiskey maturing in 4 different casks: Port, Rum, Madeira and Cabernet Sauvignon.

As for the 13yo the story behind it's origin is pretty unique.  Whilst in a bar, in New York City, a certain Irish rugby legend, Brian O'Driscoll, spotted Glendalough's Poitin and happened to get speaking to one of the founders.  After hearing their story he loved it so much that he wanted to get involved. 

At this time Glendalough were attempting to source 12yo whiskey from Cooley but after getting "B.O.D." on board they wanted to honour this by releasing a 13yo, which as any rugby fan knows was O'Driscoll's shirt number.  This resulted in much hurried phone calls to secure the odd numbered spirit but obviously they succeeded.

What they have now is an excellent Irish whiskey.  The 13yo is packed full of fresh fruits that range from fruit salad and lemon sherbet to white wine / grappa and more banana.  The bourbon influence isn't as noticeable, upon first nosing, but with time the creaminess comes along and rounds off a pretty tasty dram.

In San Francisco this 13yo conquered all by receiving a double gold and also the honour of being crowned "Best Irish Single Malt".  I'm not sure what other single malts it was up against but this is still an amazing accolade to have.

Upon speaking with Gary McLoughlin, I quizzed him on how they intend on developing their flavour profile as they move from sourcing outside whiskey to releasing their own, and his answer was honest.  They don't intend on trying to carry the specific flavours you find in their current range through into the future. 

They understand that it would be near on impossible to replicate this and therefore, there will be a time when we should see a definitive shift from their current ages to a style that has been completely developed by Glendalough and Glendalough alone.  It isn't clear when that will be but, when it is on the horizon my advice would be to snap up the current range as they will then soon become collectors items.

To finish off the evening we are treated to a taste of their brand new seasonal Autumn gin. 

Each season Glendalough work alongside local forager Geraldine Kavanagh to handpick the very best local botanicals, berries and fruit.  They then produce their gin in small batches and keep each season's output to no more than 3,000 bottles.  As is obvious, the ever changing Irish climate ensures that each season is completely unique and will also change from year to year.

As for this particular gin some of the fine ingredients used were nettle, rosehip, rosemary, Fraughan berries, crab apple, ground ivy, ginger and bitter almond.

Now, I'm no gin expert but after tasting this I may have to start partaking a little more.  This smelt absolutely divine and I can only imagine how much fun you could have with a couple of choice mixers.  Truly delicious and one to watch out for.

To finish off this update I'd like to think about this:

As Irish whiskey moves forward it will be interesting to see what works and what doesn't.

It is no doubt exciting that there are so many new distilleries opening up but it has been well documented that it is absolutely imperative that each new distillery understands that the Irish whiskey industry isn't some craze that you jump on the back of to make a "quick buck", but something that should be treasured and respected.

Irish whiskey has been through some tough times, and throughout those times a select few carried the mantle and kept the industry going.  They were also the ones to see Irish whiskey through it's dark days whilst managing to maintain the standards and quality that are revered the world over.

This is the challenge facing new distilleries.  They have to carry on in the same light as those select few and maintain the standards themselves.  If each new distillery can achieve this then Irish whiskey has a very bright future and in the case of Glendalough I am confident that, after this evening with them, they have what it takes to carry Irish whiskey on into the future.

Good luck lads and I look forward to seeing what you have in store for us whiskey lovers in the future.

Many thanks to Gary McLoughlin, and the Hudson Bar, Belfast, for a fantastic evening and if you happen to be in Belfast and would like to find any of the Glendalough bottles then head to "The Vineyard" on the Ormeau Road, they have the full range in stock.

Until next time,

Sláinte

SI

Hyde - No. 1 - 10 year old Irish Single Malt - Review

Irish whiskey is certainly booming.  Everywhere you look these days there are endless articles in newspapers, and online, about the way in which Irish whiskey is moving from strength to strength.

New companies seem to be popping up every other month and one that has appeared over the last year or so is Hyde Irish Whiskey.

Situated in West Cork, in the far south of Ireland, Hyde are using a model adopted by many.  Whilst patiently waiting for their own whiskey to mature they have bought up single malt whiskey from another distillery, finished it themselves and are releasing these bottlings to build up much needed capital.

The first release is the Hyde No.1 - Sherry Cask Finished - 10 year old Irish Single Malt.

This first release has also been named "The President's Cask" in honour of Douglas Hyde, the first President of Ireland, who was sworn into office on 26th June 1938.

Hyde whiskey state that West Cork provides perfect maturing conditions and this first release has spent 10 years in a first fill bourbon barrel before finishing off for 9 months in an Oloroso sherry cask.

They have then brought this down to 46% ABV, avoided chill filtration, and bottled 5,000 bottles, which have been individually numbered.

Not that it really matters, but for the serious knowledge hunters out there, it seems, from the press release, that only the sherry cask maturation has taken place in West Cork with the previous 10 years presumably having taken place in Co.Louth where this Single Malt originates from.

Onto my notes:

Nose - Straight from the off I always love the strange initial smells I get when I immediately pour a whiskey into the glass, and this is no exception, with a very faint initial hit of damp newspapers.  Let me assure you though that this is not at all a bad smell and is probably coming from the sherry casks.  The fresh / tropical fruits of the spirit are here along with the obvious touch of sherry cask and they work quite well.  Looking to the spirit side of things there's fresh apple, prominent ripe banana (maybe over ripe), a little fresh pineapple and some lemon / orange citrus.  Very much a fruit salad.  There's a slight buttery creaminess that leads into the sherry flavours but just before there's a little perfumed floral note.  The sherry influence is restrained but obvious.  The damp newspaper I got has now levelled out to a traditional dusty old wood effect.  Strawberry, raspberry and a bit of a youthful kick that brings some spice into play.  Over time the distinction between spirit and cask becomes less noticeable and the cask takes over.  The only thing that seems to happen with a touch of water is the fresh fruit gets a boost for a moment or two.

Palate - Initially soft and sweet that leads into strawberry chews.  A little on the thin side but all the flavours from the nose are here.  The dusty wood can be found in the arrival and the youthful spice takes over.  Orange, lemon, strawberry, raspberry and red apple which combines with the sweetness to give a taste of toffee apple.  Drying off quickly into the finish and with water the flavours are killed off quite quickly.  Best leaving water out of this.

Finish - A little short with some more fresh fruit.  To be honest, the finish is a little on the average side, but to be fair to Hyde I do not blame them in the slightest.  I have always found the finish, on most whiskeys from Co. Louth, to be on the average side, regardless of how it's been handled.

Overall this is a very decent whiskey that's been finished well to provide a nice balance of original flavours from the spirit with some fruity notes from the cask. 

When reviewing new whiskeys I always try to think about price as well, and this Hyde whiskey is currently on sale, in a well known Irish Whiskey store, for a fraction under £50. 

If I'm being honest I think this is too expensive for a 10 year old whiskey.  I understand the need to raise funds but this is a bit on the high side for my liking and for that reason I'd probably not buy it. 

That said, that is the only reason I would not buy it.  Flavour wise I think this hits the right notes and shows off the Co. Louth spirit whilst allowing Hyde to express themselves through a nicely managed finish.

As with a lot of the new companies I think Hyde have an excellent platform on which to build and I'm eagerly anticipating their new release which is due out very soon.  This will be their "Hyde No.2 - Rum Cask Finished - 10 year old".

Rum cask finishes are something I'm starting to come round to, after recently trying a single cask version, so I'm intrigued to firstly see how Hyde manage it and secondly, if the spirit is from the same distillery, how the already abundant tropical notes combine with a tropical finish.  Exciting stuff and hopefully the Hyde team will be at Whiskey Live Dublin to allow me to try some.

I would lastly just like to say a big thank you to Conor Hyde for the generous sample.

Until next time,

Sláinte

SI

"Fill Your Own" Teeling Whiskey

Towards the end of April I was lucky enough to get the chance to have a behind the scenes tour of the new Teeling Whiskey Distillery. 

Whilst on this tour, which I previously reviewed, I sampled two whiskeys that were due to be launched in the distillery shop and this morning I learnt that both are now available to buy.

The first of these whiskeys has been released as a "fill your own bottle" opportunity in the distillery shop.  It is an 11 year old Irish single malt that was distilled in 2004.  It spent the majority of it's life in a bourbon barrel before being finished for, what would now probably be, around 16 months in a White Burgundy cask.

This is being offered at a very good price of €100 and will obviously be bottled at cask strength, which at the time of writing is 58.4% ABV.

When I sampled this down at the distillery it was a fruit flavoured beast of a dram with notes of grappa and a seriously dry finish.  Extremely enjoyable and worth a look for sure.

The second of these whiskeys has been bottled already and is available in the distillery as a sort of "distillery reserve" bottling.  It is a 16 year old Irish single malt that was distilled in 1999 and has spent it's entire life in a rum cask.

This, in my opinion, is even better value at €85 and is also bottled at a cask strength of 59.7% ABV.

When I sampled this beauty I was blown away.  Rum and raisin ice cream gone mad whilst being incredibly smooth and deliciously sweet.  Out of the two whiskeys tasted this rum cask edged it for me but to be perfectly honest I'm probably going to get myself down to Teeling ASAP and get myself a bottle of each.

There are also rumours of a much older single malt becoming available very soon.

All I can say is that a strongly suggest you get yourselves down to Teeling, if you can, and see for yourselves everything they're doing to push Irish whiskey on to levels never seen before.  I honestly believe in what they are doing and think they will be leading the way for innovation as Irish whiskey continues to grow for years to come.

Until next time,

Sláinte

SI

Benromach - 15 year old - Review

At the start of the year I posted a review of the Benromach 10 year old, which I had sampled at a masterclass at last year's Whisky Live Dublin, and in that review I touched upon the pride I felt Benromach were taking in their whiskies and how whiskies of such obvious quality should be the ones that are paid most attention.

As previously mentioned Benromach are pushing themselves forward by recreating whisky in a style that would've been seen coming from Speyside back in the 1960's and it is certainly paying dividends.

Fast forward to May and excitement grew as Benromach announced the latest addition to their already impressive range - Benromach 15 year old.

Priced at just under £50, the Benromach 15 year old has been bottled at 43% and has been matured in a mix of bourbon and sherry casks.

Upon receipt of a sample I was obviously eager to get the chance to see how this measures up against the very impressive 10 year old.

Onto my notes:

Nose - Rich. Lovely interplay between damp wood smoke, slight menthol and fruits that range from red berries to baked apple to tropical notes of ripe banana and then onto some orange marmalade.  As it softens in the glass a distinct buttery note comes through the gentle smoke.  In time the nose balances out perfectly and retains a zesty zing of citrus.  Spices are minimal in the form of black peppercorn and cinnamon.  With a touch of water a green grassy note appears along with some nice oak char.

Palate - Incredibly smooth and slightly sour arrival.  Sweet oranges and lemon drops are to the front and followed by rich malty notes that border on malt extract.  The smoke is even more gentle on the palate and is also less than what I remember from the 10 year old.  The extra time in the casks has clearly rounded this off very well indeed.  Spicing is again well balanced and again is only the merest hints of cracked black pepper.  With water the sourness eases to allow sweeter notes through.  Buttered popcorn, sweet orange and crisp citrus.  A slight sense of the smoke returns in the form of charred wood and the palate rounds off with light berry and oak spice.

Finish - Lovely length with dry oak spice, red fruits and crunchy red apples.

Overall this is another stunner from the team at Benromach.  With the slight smoke running through the luscious sherry notes they really have, in my opinion, started to get that old style feel to the whisky they are producing. 

Over time I have tried many different whiskies that were bottled long ago, and each time I've tasted them I've always wondered if we would ever see anything similar in the future as the older bottled whisky really is so, so different.  With this Benromach 15 year old I am now starting to see serious similarities.

You could bottle this into an old bottle from the 60's, 70's or 80's and I doubt too many would question that it wasn't from that era.  That said I am honest in saying that my experience of older bottled whisky is not extensive but what experience I have had would definitely add up to this conclusion.

For years people have always asked me what my favourite whisky was and my answer has always been the likes of Redbreast or maybe Balblair and, while they are still answers I shall give, I can now honestly add Benromach into that list.

This really is seriously good stuff and at a price of under £50 some other big companies should sit up and take notice of how easy it is to get things right

Until next time,

Sláinte

SI

 

PS Huge thanks to Benromach for the sample.