Kilbeggan Distillery Reserve Irish Malt Whiskey
Batch No. 2, bottled 9/2011
40% ABV
$60 (Give or take depending on exchange rate)
Website
What the Distillery Says:
For over 200 years, the Kilbeggan Distillery produced some of the finest whiskey in the world. In 1957 the stills ran dry but 50 years later Cooley Distillery, the multi-award winning independent whiskey distiller, breathed new life into the world’s oldest distillery and today, the first new whiskey to be distilled at Kilbeggan in over 53 years was officially unveiled at an intimate gathering at the Kilbeggan Distillery in Co. Westmeath.
The Kilbeggan Distillery Reserve Malt, the latest addition to the Kilbeggan family of fine whiskeys, is produced from the oldest pot still in the world which dates back to 1830. The Kilbeggan Distillery itself was established in 1757 and is the oldest distillery in the world.
The whiskey world has waited in anticipation for half a century for the first new bottling from the historic Kilbeggan distillery. Distilled from 100% malted barley, the Kilbeggan Distillery Reserve, due to the distinctive narrow necks of the ancient pot still design, is an exceptionally smooth and flavoursome Irish Malt whiskey of distinctive character.
What Richard Says:
Nose: Lots of honey and malt play with something similar to a treacle tart. Very, very malty nose.
Palate: This spirit is clean, light and floral with a little cereal around the edge reminiscent of distiller’s beer.
Finish: The finish shows the heat of youth. I think a few more years in wood to tame the finish and it would be quite nice.
Comments: Kudos to Cooley for bottling some of the new whiskey they are making at Kilbeggan. I just wish the whiskey wasn’t quite as new…as in young. It really needs more time in wood, especially given the price they want to charge for it. I’m thinking this Irish girl is barely legal.
Rating: Average