Irish Distillers has released a 47-year-old Midleton whiskey as the third whiskey in their Very Rare Silent Distillery collection. Irish Distillers’ Midleton Very Rare Chapter Three is a 47-year-old single pot still Irish whiskey matured in a pair of casks – an ex-sherry butt and an ex-bourbon barrel – and is said to contain notes […]
Irish Distillers has released a 47-year-old Midleton whiskey as the third whiskey in their Very Rare Silent Distillery collection.
Irish Distillers’ Midleton Very Rare Chapter Three is a 47-year-old single pot still Irish whiskey matured in a pair of casks – an ex-sherry butt and an ex-bourbon barrel – and is said to contain notes of cherries, coffee and hazelnut.
Only 97 bottles of Irish Distillers Midleton Very Rare Chapter Three are being made available for $51,000 per bottle in Ireland, France, the UK and USA.
Irish whiskey brand Flying Tumbler is flying “across the pond” and will now be available in the USA, starting with Massachusetts. Founded in 2020 and named after a pigeon breed, Flying Tumbler has three Irish whiskies: their inaugural effort, The Bird, followed by The Tippler and The Roller – all of which will be made […]
Irish whiskey brand Flying Tumbler is flying “across the pond” and will now be available in the USA, starting with Massachusetts.
Founded in 2020 and named after a pigeon breed, Flying Tumbler has three Irish whiskies: their inaugural effort, The Bird, followed by The Tippler and The Roller – all of which will be made available to USA consumers
Flying Tumbler’s The Bird will make its debut in Massachusetts, followed by New York later this year, and then the remainder of the Northeast.
Flying Tumbler’s The Bird is a four-part blend of grain and malt whiskies and aged in a mix of ex-bourbon and Oloroso sherry casks and is recommended used as the base for an Irish coffee cocktail.
Flying Tumbler is being made available for $45 per bottle.
Glendalough Double Barrel Whiskey is a single grain whiskey aged in ex-Bourbon and then finished in Oloroso Sherry barrels. I don’t know why they chose to go with Double Barrel instead of sherry finished, seems like an odd marketing choice to me for two reasons. One, in the current American market “double barrel” mostly refers […]
Glendalough Double Barrel Whiskey is a single grain whiskey aged in ex-Bourbon and then finished in Oloroso Sherry barrels. I don’t know why they chose to go with Double Barrel instead of sherry finished, seems like an odd marketing choice to me for two reasons. One, in the current American market “double barrel” mostly refers to using a second new-charred oak barrel. Two, “sherry finished” is a big turn-on for a lot of whiskey drinkers, it also sounds premium.
The term double barrel isn’t regulated, so either one is fully accurate, but when it comes to marketing a product, one of the two (sherry) holds a lot more gravitas and garners instant interest from whiskey drinkers while the other (second charred cask) is usually a waste of a second cask. But I’m not here to judge their marketing team and their odd decisions, I’m here to assess the whiskey.
Let’s get to drinkin’!
Glendalough Double Barrel Whiskey – Details and Tasting Notes
Whiskey Details
Style: Single Malt (Irish) Region: Ireland Distiller: Undisclosed Bottler: Glendalough
“This globally awarded, single grain whiskey has been aged twice – first in American oak Bourbon barrels and again in Spanish oak Oloroso Sherry barrels.” – Glendalough
Glendalough Double Barrel Whiskey Tasting Notes
EYE
Light amber copper
NOSE
Woody, lemon rind, grain-sweet, some fruit and black walnuts with a touch of frosting sweetness.
The aroma is grainy and earthy with just a bit of sweetness and in a weird way reminds me of the Bog Oak.
PALATE
Woody, dry grain, stale brown sugar, cocoa powder and some spice and strawberry taffy.
Drier and a touch tannic with a slight candy sweetness that heads into the finish.
FINISH
Medium -> Spice, grain, cocoa powder, and wood fade to a light taffy sweetness.
BALANCE, BODY and FEEL
Not fully balanced, medium body and a lightly dry feel.
Glendalough Double Barrel Whiskey – Overall Thoughts and Score
Meh. One of the two casks isn’t doing this whiskey any favors, or maybe it’s the grain whiskey itself. I don’t know, but I can’t get into this one as a sipper. However, it does make a decent Tipperary and adds a bit of a chalky cocoa note to an otherwise sweet and herbal drink. So it’s not completely without merit.
There’s obviously a drinker this aligns with out there, but it isn’t me. The more I sipped of this Glendalough Double Barrel Whiskey, the more I felt like it was missing something and came through on the hollow side.
Irish whiskey distillery Walsh Whiskey has released the 2022 edition – the 12th edition overall – of their cask strength Writers’ Tears Irish whiskey. Writers’ Tears Cask Strength 2022 is a blend of aged single pot still and single malt whiskies, both distilled three times, aged in American oak bourbon barrels, bottled at 54.6% alcohol […]
Irish whiskey distillery Walsh Whiskey has released the 2022 edition – the 12th edition overall – of their cask strength Writers’ Tears Irish whiskey.
Writers’ Tears Cask Strength 2022 is a blend of aged single pot still and single malt whiskies, both distilled three times, aged in American oak bourbon barrels, bottled at 54.6% alcohol by volume [109.2 proof] and is said to contain notes of cinnamon, fennel. honey, pear and toffee.
Only 7,920 bottles – 2,100 of which are being sent to the USA – of Writers’ Tears Cask Strength 2022 are being made available for $150 per bottle.
The real emerald in the Irish Whiskey crown are single pot still whiskeys like this Glendalough Pot Still Irish Whiskey. Sure Irish whiskey is known for its light blends and their single malts have been growing in favor, but this is the true Irish Whiskey. Made from a mash of malted and unmalted barley, this […]
The real emerald in the Irish Whiskey crown are single pot still whiskeys like this Glendalough Pot Still Irish Whiskey. Sure Irish whiskey is known for its light blends and their single malts have been growing in favor, but this is the true Irish Whiskey. Made from a mash of malted and unmalted barley, this all-malt whiskey is unique to Ireland and is the style I gravitate to the most.
Not too long ago, the only distillery making this style was Midleton (Jameson), but now we have dozens of distilleries picking up their ancestral reigns and bringing this almost-lost style of whiskey back to life. As a fan, I couldn’t be happier about it and while there’s no guarantee they’re all going to be good, it’s exciting nonetheless to see this category expand and grow.
Now, let’s get to drinkin’!
Glendalough Pot Still Irish Whiskey – Details and Tasting Notes
Whiskey Details
Style: Single Pot Still Region: Ireland Distiller: Glendalough
Mash Bill: 100% Barley (Malted and Unmalted Barley) Cask: ex-Bourbon, New Charred Irish Oak Age: NAS (3+ years) ABV: 42%
“There is no more Irish a whiskey than Pot Still, so we felt it was fitting to age it in Irish Oak.” – Glendalough
Glendalough Pot Still Irish Whiskey Tasting Notes
EYE
Honey
NOSE
Grassy, coppery, malty, lemongrass, pine nuts and a light bit of honey and Necco wafers.
Very unique in the pot still world with its crisp, lemongrass, aroma. Also quite light.
PALATE
Grassy, malty, copper, vanilla taffy, caramel, nutty and slightly spicy and candy sweet with a touch of oak.
The crispness and sharpness of this is intriguing, delicious and noticeably bolder than the aroma.
FINISH
Medium -> Lemongrass, copper, spice and some malty oak.
BALANCE, BODY and FEEL
Well balanced, medium body and a clean crisp feel.
Glendalough Pot Still Irish Whiskey – Overall Thoughts and Score
It’s fresh, it’s grain-driven (but not in a cloying or harsh way) and it’s tatys. I wish I had more of this Glendalough Pot Still Irish Whiskey… looks like I’m going to have to go out and buy a bottle.
Unique and fun with a clean crisp delivery that’s unlike most of the other pot stills I’ve had which tend to be more round, soft and velvety. It’s a stunning beginning, and I see the unbridled potential here. This is going to be an exciting line to watch from the Glendalough distillery.
SCORE: 3.5/5 (tasty, worth checking out ~ B | 83-86)
*Disclosure: The sample/bottle for this single pot still Irish Whiskey review was graciously sent to me by the company without obligation. The views, opinions, and tasting notes are 100% my own.
Extra aged and finished in ex-Moscatel casks, the Egan’s Legacy Reserve Volume IV 18 Years Single Malt Irish Whiskey is not the kind of Irish Whiskey you see every day. Partially because of the age, but mostly because of the casks. In the pantheon of whisky finishing casks, Moscatel isn’t exactly what you’d call common. […]
Extra aged and finished in ex-Moscatel casks, the Egan’s Legacy Reserve Volume IV 18 Years Single Malt Irish Whiskey is not the kind of Irish Whiskey you see every day. Partially because of the age, but mostly because of the casks.
In the pantheon of whisky finishing casks, Moscatel isn’t exactly what you’d call common. In fact, I can only think of three others off the top of my head and all three were limited releases or single casks. One from Kavlan, one out of Laphroaig and one out of Bunnahabhain. All three were good with the Laphroaig and Kavalon being great. Though the one thing they all had in common is they made me want to see more whiskies use these underappreciated casks.
Let’s get to drinkin’!
Egan’s Legacy Reserve Volume IV 18 Years Single Malt Irish Whiskey – Details and Tasting Notes
Whiskey Details
Non-Chill Filtered | Natural Color
Style: Single Malt (Irish) Region: Ireland Distiller: Undisclosed (West Cork)
“The fourth and final addition to the Legacy Reserve portfolio was finished in Moscatel de Valencia casks and, like its predecessors, is limited to 1,000 bottles worldwide.” – Egan’s
Egan’s Legacy Reserve Volume IV 18 Years Single Malt Irish WhiskeyTasting Notes
EYE
Pinkish copper
NOSE
Olde tyme strawberry taffy, malt, creamy vanilla and touches of baking spice, Honey Nut Cheerios and oak.
Rich and elegant the aroma rolls lazily out of the glass.
PALATE
Olde tyme strawberry taffy, creamy vanilla, cinnamon, malty graham, dried sultanas, banana and some bits of cocoa and oak.
Bolder and warmer than the aroma with even more fruity facets showing up.
FINISH
Medium-long -> Fruity sweetness, malt, grainy oak and cinnamon and waxy vanilla.
BALANCE, BODY and FEEL
Well balanced, medium-full body and a warm slick feel.
Egan’s Legacy Reserve Volume IV 18 Years Single Malt Irish Whiskey- Overall Thoughts and Score
From aroma to palate to finish, this is a dynamic whiskey that isn’t big and brutal but still has a nice sense of boldness to it. It’s refined and elegant with subtle orchard and tropical nuances that peek out while you’re experiencing it but at no point is it a light or simple whiskey.
Fun and exciting, this is the kind of Irish Whiskey that needs to be in the market more. The kind that shows the complexity and beauty that can come from well matured, and well finished, Irish single malts. This is a gem.
*Disclosure: The sample/bottle for this Irish Single Malt review was graciously sent to me by the company without obligation. The views, opinions, and tasting notes are 100% my own.
Egan's Legacy Reserve Volume IV 18 Years Single Malt Irish Whiskey Review
$200
Jameson has released Jameson 15 Years Old Single Pot Still – as part of their new Jameson Anthology collection which begins with Jameson Remastered Jameson 15 Years Old Single Pot Still. Jameson Remastered Jameson 15 Years Old Single Pot Still was matured between 15 and 17 years in American bourbon barrels and Oloroso sherry butts, […]
Jameson has released Jameson 15 Years Old Single Pot Still – as part of their new Jameson Anthology collection which begins with Jameson Remastered Jameson 15 Years Old Single Pot Still.
Jameson Remastered Jameson 15 Years Old Single Pot Still was matured between 15 and 17 years in American bourbon barrels and Oloroso sherry butts, bottled at 56.4% alcohol by volume [112.8 proof] and said to include notes of fruit, fudge and vanilla.
Only 2,220 bottles of Jameson Remastered Jameson 15 Years Old Single Pot Still are being made available for $335 per 500ml bottle.
First Egan’s released a single malt, then a grain and now a 10 yo blend of their sourced whiskeys finished in ex-Cognac cakss: Egan’s Conviction 10 Years Irish Whiskey. Sourced from the same undisclosed whiskey distiller(s) as the original Egan’s, the Irish whiskeys were been fully aged in ex-Bourbon casks for 10 years before being […]
First Egan’s released a single malt, then a grain and now a 10 yo blend of their sourced whiskeys finished in ex-Cognac cakss: Egan’s Conviction 10 Years Irish Whiskey. Sourced from the same undisclosed whiskey distiller(s) as the original Egan’s, the Irish whiskeys were been fully aged in ex-Bourbon casks for 10 years before being blended and put in ex-Cognac to fully marry.
Sourced single grain + sourced single malt + ex-Cognac casks, this pretty much covers everything needed in the intro so let’s get to drinkin’!
Egan’s Conviction 10 Years Irish Whiskey- Details and Tasting Notes
Whiskey Details
Non-Chill Filtered | Natural Color
Style: Blended Whiskey (Irish) Region: Ireland Distiller: Unknown (I think West Cork)
Blend: Irish Single Malt + Irish Single Grain Cask: ex-Bourbon, ex-XO Cognac Age: 10 Years ABV: 46%
Egan’s Conviction 10 Years Irish Whiskey Price: $100*
“Egan’s Conviction is a blend of single malt and single grain Irish whiskeys, each aged for at least 10 years, married together and finished in XO Cognac casks.” – Egan’s
Egan’s Conviction 10 Years Irish Whiskey Tasting Notes
EYE
Pale gold
NOSE
Spiced dried orchard fruit, malt, copper, vanilla, banana chips and a touch of minerality.
Not a ton of cognac influence on the nose, just a few hints and whispers.
PALATE
Malt, banana taffy, baking spice, dried orchard fruit, nuts and a touch of raisin and candy sweetness.
There is a bit more of the cognac coming through with a heavier spice and richer sweetness.
FINISH
Medium-short -> Malt, fruit, baking spice and vanilla.
BALANCE, BODY and FEEL
Good sense of balance, medium-full body and a warm soft feel.
Egan’s Conviction 10 Years Irish Whiskey- Overall Thoughts and Score
It starts sweet and fruity, but as it opens the spice notes grow and it becomes a bit more multi-faceted. It’s a good whiskey that’s easy to enjoy and share. The only disappointing thing about it is the relatively short finish.
I know it’s a touch pricy to be making drinks with, but I tried Egan’s Conviction 10 Years Irish Whiskey in a Tipperary and it worked amazingly well. The spice notes mixed with the sweetness of the vermouth perfectly and created something unique and delicious. So, if you’re open to making “classy cocktails” with high-end booze, this works well.
SCORE: 3.5/5 (tasty, worth checking out ~ B | 83-86)
*Disclosure: The sample/bottle for this Irish Whiskey review was graciously sent to me by the company without obligation. The views, opinions, and tasting notes are 100% my own.
Egan's Conviction 10 Years Irish Whiskey Review
$100
Helsinki-based Anora Group has released their inaugural Irish whiskey blend – Carlow Counting Days – in Sweden. The reference is to the whiskey being sourced from County Carlow in Ireland. Carlow Counting Days was matured for 1,097 days in ex-bourbon barrels, then A splash of whiskey from Carlow aged for 1,462 days has also been […]
Helsinki-based Anora Group has released their inaugural Irish whiskey blend – Carlow Counting Days – in Sweden. The reference is to the whiskey being sourced from County Carlow in Ireland.
Carlow Counting Days was matured for 1,097 days in ex-bourbon barrels, then A splash of whiskey from Carlow aged for 1,462 days has also been added to the blend, bottled at 43% alcohol by volume [86 proof] and is said to contain notes of toffee and vanilla.
Carlow Counting Days Irish whiskey is being made available in Sweden for priced at $23 per 700ml bottle.
Dublin-based Teeling has released their first limited edition single pot still Irish whiskey from their Wonders of Wood (WOW) series, which features ‘unique’ types of wood in the maturation process. Teeling Wonders of Wood single pot still whiskey, emerges from a recipe of 50% malted barley and 50% unmalted barley, was matured exclusively in virgin […]
Dublin-based Teeling has released their first limited edition single pot still Irish whiskey from their Wonders of Wood (WOW) series, which features ‘unique’ types of wood in the maturation process.
Teeling Wonders of Wood single pot still whiskey, emerges from a recipe of 50% malted barley and 50% unmalted barley, was matured exclusively in virgin chinkapin American white oak barrels and is bottled at 50% alcohol by volume [100 proof].
Only 6,660 bottles of Teeling Wonders of Wood single pot still Irish whiskey are being made available for $99 per bottle beginning in June 2022.
