December 11, 2015

Yet another bag of Irish

Irish whiskeys are on the rise, and I’m not only talking about very large mass-marketed brands (no names). Smaller bottlers, sometimes indies, also have amore and more of them. And some are simply superb!

Knappogue Castle 14 yo 'Twin Wood' (46%, OB, Irish, single malt, +/-2014)

This one comes from ‘from a Northern Irish distillery’ according to some sources. A 16yo at 40% vol. has been much to my liking a few weeks ago. Colour: straw. Nose: typical banane-y nose, with also ripe apples, strawberry sweets, and perhaps peaches, before more vanilla and a few golden raisins do come through. Very easy nose, very pleasant, not complicated. Mouth: a bit more potent, and almost brutal at first sips, with rather more citrus this time, and even an unexpected saltiness. Salted grapefruits? Some bubblegum as well, but it remains rather rough and unpolished. Hints of green oak. Finish: rather long, still a little raw. Green apples. Comments: very good, it just hasn’t got the complexity of the 16 yo in my opinion. SGP:551 - 81 points.

Teeling 'Small Batch' (46%, OB, Irish blend, +/-2015)

A blend finished in rum casks. Colour: straw. Nose: it’s quite fruity, but it’s also rather earthy and leafy, with touches of almond oil and tree bark. Dried pears coming out, a little porridge, some green wood, and little rum that I can find. Globally quite dry, which I find surprising. Mouth: more fruits, especially as jell-Os and jams, with a tea-ish background and always quite some dry grass. Green melons and green bananas, also oak vanilla and more leaves. Finish: short to medium, rather grassy and fruity. A little mead in the aftertaste. Comments: upper echelon Irish blend, with good presence. Not one you swallow without even noticing. SGP:541 - 82 points.

Tullamore D.E.W. 12 yo 'Special Reserve' (40%, OB, Irish blend, +/-2015)

The famous Tout l’Amour Doux that the French tend to like. Tried an earlier batch in 2012, was good, but not too impressed (WF 78). Colour: gold. Nose: very very soft. Melon jam, butterscotch, chamomile tea, white chocolate, marzipan, a touch of menthol. Or rather the filling in After Eights. I find it instantly ‘Irish’. Mouth: starts well, with some praline and halva (yeah or peanut butter, as you like) but it tends to lose steam after just three seconds, I guess that’s the strength. Overripe apples and melons, plus bananas, plus this little metallic touch that I often find in these. Finish: rather short, more on herbal teas. A grittiness in the aftertaste. Comments: I think it progressed. Next step, 43 or 46% vol.? SGP:640 - 80 points.

Irish Whiskey 24 yo 1991/2015 (51.5%, The Auld Alliance, 232 bottles)

This baby for Singapore’s most famous whisky bar. Colour: straw. Nose: a peated Cooley, apparently! Isn’t it amazing that the Irishness (say bananas) and the Islayness (say Ardbeg) mingle so well after twenty+ years? Sandalwood, dried kelp, dried bananas, cigars, a touch of fresh butter… It’s all more than perfect so far. Flipside, we’re not surprised. With water: more coastalness. Coastality? Oysters, a slice of lemon, and one drop of almond oil. Unstoppable. Mouth (neat): this fruity creaminess (between jam and liqueurs) and then a smoky blast, rather towards grass than peat or coal. Kiwis, bananas, oranges. Very perfect, a style of its own. With water: gets a wee tad thinner, perhaps, tends to lose its backbone. A bit, just a bit. Otherwise, it’s great. Funny hints of green asparagus. Finish: medium, rather almondy. Bitter almonds, a touch of pineapple. Comments: excellent, greatly light for a peat monster. Wait, it’s not quite a peat monster anyway. SGP:554 - 89 points.

Irish Whiskey 27 yo 1988/2015 (51.2%, The Auld Alliance, 194 bottles)

The unpeated counterpart. Not sure I shouldn’t have had this one first, but as you very well know, there’s room for much improvement at WF Towerz. Colour: pale gold. Nose: there, typical. Rose liqueur, melons, light oils, overripe apples, pineapples, bananas… Long story short, an epic Irish fruit bomb, but with balance. With water: an impeccable fruit salad, with a drops of honey and maple syrup. Mouth (neat): pastries and jams, plus chocolate and Nutella (apologies). Melons and oranges first at the fruit department, then pineapples and bananas. Lovely grassy structure that prevents it from becoming just a tad ‘too fruity’. With water: swims greatly. Next stop, America ;-). Seriously, we’ve got all fresh fruits and several herbs. Mint, perhaps chervil, watercress… Finish: rather long, this time with quinces and papayas. Comments: very dangerous whiskey if you ask me. Watch refills! Technically, it’s more like 89/90, but the pleasure’s so immense, that that’ll be… SGP:651 - 91 points.

Writers Tears (40%, Irish, Irish Pot Still blend, +/-2015)

It seems that this a blend of single malt and pot still. Colour: light gold. Nose: much more Midletonian than the others, with more metallic earth, fruit peelings, fresh almonds, and this very unusual waxiness and butter. That gives it a kind of fatness, and that’s why I had thought it wouldn’t get killed by the enthusiastic and powerful northerners. Also barley sugar. Mouth: excellent. It’s not an expensive bottle, and it’s even quite humble, and the strength’s a little disappointing, but it’s got body and always this waxy oiliness that gives it structure. Green apples, beeswax, plantain bananas, muesli. Finish: medium, fruitier again. Waxy honey, a drop of maple syrup, and more almonds in the aftertaste. Comments: I’ve always been a fan of Writer’s Tears. Excellent job, me thinks. And writers cry a lot anyway… SGP:551 - 86 points.

Limerick 23 yo 1991/2015 ‘Slaney Malt’ (59%, Adelphi, Irish single malt, cask # 8585, 134 bottles)

This might be quick. As a previous Limerick/Slaney by Adelphi has been utterly superb. Colour: dark gold, almost amber. Nose: indeed. Passion fruit and mango cake, liquid caramel, herbs, teas, tobaccos… And myriads of other tiny aromas. With water: menthol, eucalyptus, camphor… just what the doctor ordered. Mouth (neat): extraordinary. Herbal fruits and fruity herbs everywhere. Plus just the right amount of tobacco-ish herbalness. Walnuts. Bitter oranges. Salt. Not an easy-easy chappo when undiluted, but boy it delivers. With water: uses the velvet glove this time, with papayas, guavas, vanilla, and honey. Plus, once again, many tinier flavours. Finish: quite long, with an impressive freshness. Always a little tobacco. Comments: no quibbles, this is one of the greatest Irish out there. What a session! To think that I’m not the greatest fan of Irish whiskies – in general… SGP:651 - 92 points.

Check the index of all Irish I've tasted so far