Irish Whiskey

Midleton Very Rare Irish Whiskey 2014

Midleton Very Rare Irish Whiskey 2014
Blended Irish Whiskey

40% ABV
$260 to $2,000 (range from new to vintage at auction)
Website
Midleton Very Rare 2014 Irish Whiskey

What the Distillery Says

Since 1984, each Master Distiller of Midleton Very Rare uses their eye for detail, their passion for quality whiskey and their exemplary skill to create the pinnacle of Irish whiskey, our special vintage release.

NOTE: The 2014 vintage was the first year that Brian Nation signed off on (following the legendary Barry Crockett), and is a blend of pot still and grain whiskies, believed to be aged from 12 to 22 years old.

What Gary Says

Nose:  Floral and fruity, poached pears, peaches, melon, roses, honeysuckle, soft oak and vanilla crème brûlée.
Palate:  Fruit salad with pears, apples, cherries, peaches, vanilla, honey, bit of toffee before a citrus note and a subtle mineral note.
Finish:  Short to moderate in length with dried fruit, a hint of cereal and vanilla.
Comments:  This is a nice layered dram with nuanced complexity, but a lot of work to unpack. If you didn’t let it sit and open up and just poured and sniffed at – may not have appreciated all it has going on. That said, while complex, it is a LOT of work to get after. Given the suspected age (and price, although many thanks to Richard for biting the bullet and sharing a sample!) I had higher hopes for the mouthfeel, and I can’t help but wonder if this would have been just lovely at 46% or more. Don’t get me wrong – if someone has one open and is offering me a pour, I’m not turning it down – but also wouldn’t pay the retail (let alone insane auction prices) for this one.

Rating: Stands Out

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Redbreast 27 Year Old Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey

Redbreast 27 Year Old
Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey

Batch B1/19

54.6% ABV
$500
Website
Redbreast 27 Yr Old Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey

What the Distillery Says

The oldest permanent release in the Redbreast family, 27-Year-Old is a Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey comprising exclusively of Pot Still whiskeys which have been triple distilled, matured in the finest bourbon, sherry and ruby port casks for no less than 27 years, and left untouched.

NOSE: A succulent medley of exotic fruits, mango, pineapple, blood orange and ripe red berries are complemented by fresh herbs, aromatic oils and wood spices. Vanilla sweetness and treacle toffee add to the richness, while walnuts and toasted oak acknowledge the contribution from a supreme cask selection.

TASTE: Incredibly rich in texture with a luxuriously fruity introduction. Ripe red fleshed plums, black cherries and summer berries are balanced by the prickle of a hint of chili oil. The taste evolves as cherry menthol introduces vanilla and cinnamon sweet spices combined with red pepper, nutmeg and toasted oak for an intriguing complexity.

FINISH: A satisfyingly long balance of ripe fruit and wood spices, worthy of a journey of nearly three decades.

What Gary Says

Nose:  Rich fruitcake with a tropical fruit twist, candied pineapple, mango, kiwi, apricots, hints of port and marsala wine, peaches, nutmeg, honey and floral notes.
Palate:  Creamy mouthfeel, intense fruit with plums, blackcurrants, raisins, peaches, black cherries, pears, vanilla, honey, dark chocolate and toffee.
Finish:  Long with dark fruit and a slow build in spices.
Comments:  This is just a magnificent whiskey. The nose is complex and layered, and benefits from some time in the glass (it waited 27 years to be bottled; pour it and give it a half hour and you’ll be glad you did!) Bit of water brings out some salted caramel on the nose, and brings the spice notes forward more on the palate, although this drinks lovely neat. The only reason this isn’t a solid ‘Must Buy’ from me is the price (I’m thankful that Richard shared a sample, and I am enjoying every last drop!)

Rating: Must Try/Must Buy

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Redbreast Pedro Ximénez Edition

Redbreast Pedro Ximénez Edition
Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey Finished in PX Sherry Hogsheads

46% ABV
$105-$130
Website

Redbreast PX Edition Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey

What the Bottle* Says

UNIQUE among the family, Redbreast Pedro Ximénez edition is a SINGLE POT STILL WHISKEY, tripled distilled, initially matured in BOURBON AND OLOROSO SHERRY CASKS before being re-casked in delectable PEDRO XIMÉNEZ HOGSHEADS for a sweet finish.

Mixed FRUIT compote with a squeeze of ORANGE ZEST combined with LIQUORICE and WOOD SPICES.

* No mention of this offering on Redbreast’s website, so above details are from the bottle/packaging itself.

What Gary Says

Nose:  Rich fruit with blood orange, cranberry, honey, raisins, nutmeg, cloves, caramel, dates, cinnamon and a hint of balsamic.
Palate:  Thick and syrupy, sweet fruitcake with plums, candied orange, caramel and nutmeg.
Finish:  Moderately long with dark fruit jam and spices.
Comments:  I’m a fan of Redbreast and PX finished (or matured) whiskey, but this is borderline ‘too sweet’ for me. It doesn’t cross the line, but it inches right up to it (and I’ve been told I like sweet whiskey; so if you find things ‘too sweet’ that your friends think is fine – this may be much for you). A bit of water opens it up nicely. I think back to the days when Redbreast 12 Year Cask Strength were on the shelves for $60 and think this is probably overpriced – then remember those days are long gone. I really enjoyed this, but it isn’t as complex as others (no age statement, so not sure how old).

Rating: Stands Out/Must Try

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Lost Irish Whiskey

Lost Irish
Triple Distilled Irish Whiskey

Finished in casks from all corners of the world

40% ABV
$37-$45
Website
Lost Irish Whiskey
We would like to thank Lost Irish and Cork + Knife for sending us a sample to review.

What the Producer Says

Lost Irish is an adventurous Irish Whiskey made from six worlds in three styles to embody the wandering Irish spirit.

SIX WORLDS
Our casks, collected from six continents, reflect Ireland’s true home: the world. Over 70 Million Irish are dispersed throughout the same continents we source our casks from. This global influence makes our Whiskey more interesting and richer.

AFRICA: South African Brandy Casks
ASIA: Japanese Mizunara Oak
EUROPE: Sherry Casks
NORTH AMERICA: U.S. Bourbon Casks, Caribbean Rum Casks
OCEANIA: Australian Tawny Casks
SOUTH AMERICA: Colombian Rum Casks

THREE STYLES

Our drive for the best led us to experiment with all three styles of Irish Whiskey at once. This combination balances flavour and complexity: grain lends sweetness, malt adds fruitiness, and pot still contributes spice and cream.

GRAIN FOR SWEETNESS
MALT FOR FRUITINESS
POT STILL FOR CREAMINESS + SPICE

TRIPLE DISTILLED
While our adventurous spirit brings creativity and originality, there are some traditions just too good to lose. Lost Irish celebrates Irish tradition with triple distillation for a renowned smoothness unlike other whiskeys.

What Gary Says

Nose:  Vanilla buttercream frosting, fruity with peaches and banana, grassy, sandalwood, shortbread, subtle wood spices.
Palate:  Creamy mouthfeel, vanilla, orange blossom honey, peaches, shortbread cookies, cinnamon, cereal notes and a hint of caramel.
Finish:  Short with honey and porridge.
Comments:  The nose has a lot going on, perhaps too much for some (although I like trying to pick the various pieces out). The palate is more direct, and reflects a younger whiskey.  A nice mouthfeel, and an easy sipper with no objectionable notes. Wish this was bottled at a higher ABV, and with more age this could be something really special.

Rating: Stands Out

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Limavady Single Malt Whiskey

Limavady Single Malt Whiskey
Single Barrel Irish Whiskey

46% ABV
$50
Website
Limavady Single Malt Whiskey
We would like to thank Limavady and R\West for sending us a sample to review.

What the Producer Says

SINGLE BARREL, meet Irish Whiskey.

WITH A NOD TO THE PAST and a great vision for the future.
Darryl is fulfilling his lifelong dream to craft his own exceptional whiskey, by combining the precision of a whiskey Master and the spirit of Limavady’s namesake.

Limavady will satisfy serious whiskey lovers but fits the bill for everyday enjoyment with whomever you choose to bring to the table.

THE DETAILS
100% Irish Barley
Small Batch Triple Distilled Copper Pot Stills
Aged in Bourbon Barrels & Finished in PX Sherry Casks
846 Bottles Per Barrel

TASTING NOTES
The sherry casks deliver warm, inviting dried fruit and spice notes, adding richness to a toasted vanilla base; smooth at first with a satisfying warmth on the finish.

What Gary Says

Nose:  Malty grain, honey, porridge, vanilla, dried fruit, hint of caramel, grassy and a bit vegetive.
Palate:  Thick mouthfeel with vanilla, fruit notes, grainy barley malt, honey, dash of pepper, touch of cinnamon and nutmeg.
Finish:  Short to moderate in length, honey with malted grain.
Comments:  Nice mouthfeel, and quite easy to drink. It tastes young on the young side to me, with the PX sherry influence being there, but mild. Single barrel product brands have a challenge of wanting to deliver consistency (while acknowledging that single barrel carries with it some uniqueness; arguably that’s the point!) I asked if Limavady would share any details on the age (are they targeting a particular flavor profile, and keeping the age to a narrow range, etc). Appreciate their providing the following details in response:

“Limavady sources all barrels from Kelvin Cooperage in Kentucky and focuses on getting first fill bourbon casks exclusively. Darryl only uses them once for each barrel – because he really loves the spicy/vanilla flavor profile that is imparted from that initial aging. He is constantly tasting and going back to the liquid, but on average for 4 – 4.5 years minimum for every barrel. From there, its then finished in PX Sherry Buttes for roughly 3-6 months leaving us with a rich burst of fruitiness and sweetness.”

Contrasted with some other Irish whiskies which might mature rather than finish in Sherry, this has a more subtle fruitiness. The bottle is hefty and interesting, although I found the glass topper to be so tight that it was difficult to remove. This takes water well, and retains the nice mouthfeel. While not overly complex (and you wouldn’t expect it to be given the age details provided), it is a really nice sipper.

Rating: Stands Out

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