Flight Of The Earls, Irish Whiskey, 40% to 63.48%

When Red Earl first appeared with it’s cartoon like imagery it was somewhat overlooked.

c/o TinyTipple

Now available in 4 differing styles. – with varying images too – The Flight of the Earls make for a striking posse of whiskey.

It’s about time I discovered the flavours behind the brand – so ordered up a tasting pack from Tiny Tipple.

c/o KinsaleSpiritCo

Red Earl, 40%

A blend aged in bourbon, sherry & rioja casks.

Warm, inviting & fruity sweet nose. Juicy mouthfeel with a lip smacking finish.

A lovely well balanced flavoursome blend.

c/o KinsaleSpiritCo

Great Earl, 40%

A single grain aged in recharred & virgin oak barrels, finished in Sangiovese casks.

A dry, clean & clear nose. The wine influence makes it’s presence felt on the palate followed by a lovely frisson of oaky spice on the rear.

Nice!

c/o KinsaleSpiritCo

Spanish Earl, 43%

A single malt matured in bourbon casks & finished in rum & stout casks.

Yum yum – a juicy depth to this one! Rich maltiness on the palate with a solid backbone of darker delights. Opens up further on the finish with a spicy prickle, soft hints of roastiness & an engaging dryness.

Red Earl, Cask Strength, 63.48%

A cask strength version of the Red Earl blend.

Despite the high ABV the nose is still inviting – with just a suggestion of high alcohol presence. The triple cask maturation notes roll over each other in a wonderful flourish of flavour – before a drying hit of alcohol kicks in with an explosion of power.

I don’t subscribe to the notion cask strength is automatically superior to 40% – but Red Earl CS wears it well.

Thoughts

The Flight of Earls impressed me.

Full of flavour, full of style & a hearty bunch of characters too.

The pale colour of the quartet also points to a lack of added caramel.

It’s a delight to taste them all back to back to explore both the differences – & similarities – that run through the collection.

It’s hard to pick a winner from this flight of beauties – but for me the ease of drinking, clarity of flavours & enjoyable flair on the finish – I’m giving it to Great Earl.

What would you choose?

Sláinte

Images authors own unless stated.

The Dublin Liberties Distillery Miniature Pack, Blends, 40% to 46%

I do love miniature packs.

They’re a great way to sample a selection of whiskeys & hone down your tasting preferences.

This Dublin Liberties Distillery box has been lying round my house for a while – so long in fact the label design on The Dubliner still boasts the old – & rather outdated I must say – frontage!

So how do they stack up?

The Dubliner, Blend, 40%

A bourbon casked NAS – non age statement – blended Irish Whiskey.

Soft vanilla & caramel on the nose, pleasant easy palate, a flourish of sweet grain & richer maltiness on the finish.

A nice easy drinker.

Oak Devil, 5 Year Old, Blend, 46%

Oak Devil first appeared as an NAS.

I’ve always liked this one.

There’s a noticeable tannic spiciness which just works on my palate & the connections, connotations & playful attractiveness of the name is very engaging.

Suits me!

The Dead Rabbit, Blend, 44%

A great collaboration with the Dead Rabbit bar in New York.

At 44% & using first fill American Oak finishing Dead Rabbit is just – richer!

The vanilla aromas are boosted, a heavier mouthfeel leads into a lip smacking almost succulent finish.

Nice!

Thoughts

The Dublin Liberties Distillery are a dynamic operation.

Not afraid to rework their offerings, engage in collaborations & rebrand when required. They’ve also released an innovative beer cask range & are involved in head distiller Darryl McNally’s Limavady Single Cask outing.

Yet to release their own distillate – this entertaining trio displays careful cask choices & clever blending & maturation regimes to bring about a diversity of flavours.

The Dubliner’s new packaging is a winner for me – but it’s a close call between the richness of Dead Rabbit & clean simplicity of Oak Devil for tasting enjoyment.

It boils down to personal choice, memories, connections & joie-de-vivre.

Oak Devil has it!

Sláinte

All photos authors own

Galway Irish Whiskey, 40%

A range of miniature Irish Whiskey labelled up in Irish County colours make for an entertaining gift.

I picked mine up at the Celtic Whiskey Shop.

Galway is pale straw in colour.

Has a soft honeyed aroma.

Smooth & mellow in the mouth.

With an engaging hint of spice on the finish.

No mention regards source – but reminds me of the best blended Cooley used to offer.

An easy drinking Irish Whskey.

Sláinte

All images authors own.

Moore’s Irish Whiskey, 40% & Moore’s Irish Cream Liqueur, 17%

The growing sales & popularity of Irish Whiskey continues to attract new entrants into the category.

Lockdown Brands – you can guess when they were formed – recently released their Moore’s range of spirits.

Moore’s miniatures c/othewhiskeynut

Launched without fanfare or fuss – I picked a miniature pack up in the excellent Celtic Whiskey Shop on my sojourn to Wetherspoons new Keavin’s Port Hotel in Dublin.

Moore’s Whiskey c/othewhiskeynut

Moore’s Irish Whiskey sports a proud stag on the label – with little else over and above the legal requirements.

There’s a sweet sherried depth to the nose, the usual caramel flavours & a bit of a spirity kick.

Smooth, honeyed & mouth coating, the palate gently hugs in an warming embrace.

An engaging dry tingling fades slowly away on the finish.

With ever more esoteric cask finishes & proclamations of provenance – the stripped back simplicity & no nonsense approach of Moore’s is refreshing.

Moore’s Cream Liqueur c/othewhiskeynut

Mariah Carey dominates social media with her Black Irish liqueur – but Moore’s Irish Cream Liqueur faces no legal dispute – as far as I know – and is currently available to purchase in Ireland.

Rather than sporting a golden mermaid look, Moore’s is adorned with a humble grazing cow – the source of the Irish cream used.

In the glass Moore’s Irish Cream Liqueur has the appearance & consistency of rich full-fat milk about it.

Only on nosing & tasting does a whisper of whiskey make it’s presence felt over the rich creaminess & melted milk chocolate experience.

An Irish Wolfhound graces Moore’s Irish Gin – but never having acquired an appreciation of this juniper led category – I’ll leave it to others for appraisal.

Overall I’m somewhat attracted to the laid back & simple approach offered by Moore’s.

There’s a traditional appeal to the honeyed blend style of whiskey.

The brand also puts Co Laois on the spirits map.

Best wishes to Moore Drinks & Lockdown Brands in their new venture.

Jameson Miniature, Blend, 40%

Picked up this older looking Jameson on my travels.

Honeyed, mild & mellow.

Inoffesivity defines the experience.

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Cut To The Smoke vs Pott 40, Rums, 40%

Continuing my miniature rum exploration are 2 previously unknown offerings.

Cut To The Smoke c/othewhiskeynut

Cut To The Smoke, 40%

Cut Rum are distributed by ProofDrinks in the UK & To The Smoke claims to be the first smokey rum on the market.

I had to give it a go!

Rich dark brown appearance. Burnt toffee kind of nose. Enticing!

Soft, easy & smooth. Develops a lovely umami meatiness – like a honey glazed roast topped with spicy seasoning.

An entertaining little number!

Pott 40 c/othewhiskeynut

Pott Rum 40, 40%

Pott Rum 40 has German writing on the label & I’m assuming originates from a ‘rumhandelshaus’ there.

Lighter shade of brown. Soft hint of funk.

A luxurious mouth coating envelops the palate in dark molassey depth topped off with gentle spice & fruity funk.

Nice!

Tasty duo c/othewhiskeynut

This duo are exemplars for the world trade in rum.

You may not know the distillery of origin, country or even marks used in the make up of these rums – but goodness – they are both highly enjoyable drinking experiences.

I’d gladly explore other offerings from both the Cut & Pott Rum ranges!

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A Trio Of Rums, Dictador XO Insolent, El Dorado 12, Abuelo 12, 40%

Well travel may be curtailed with COVID – but that doesn’t stop me from sampling the delights of Colombia, Guyana & Panama with these 3 rum miniatures!

Dictador c/othewhiskeynut

Dictador XO Insolent, 40%, Colombia

The bottle is certainly attractive!

Very sweet fruit cake on the nose. Bit empty on the palate. Sweet but ultimately bland on the finish.

The nose promised much more – but sadly didn’t deliver for me.

El Dorado c/othewhiskeynut

El Dorado 12 Year Old, 40%, Guyana

What a contrast – nuttiness on the nose!

A gentle sweet & smooth palate that came to life on the finish. More of that nuttiness, touch of spicy tannic oak, good depth & flavour with a nice tingling dryness too.

Much more my style!

Abuelo c/othewhiskeynut

Ron Abuelo 12 Year Old, 40%, Panama

Sweet dark fruits on the nose.

Again – this rum came alive on the finish. A bit more bite from this one, the nuttiness more subdued, more whiskey like in the drinking experience.

A lovely sipper!

A trio of rums! c/othewhiskeynut

Thoughts

Sad to say Dictador fell flat for me – more style over substance with the fancy bottle.

Both El Dorado & Abuelo impressed.

El Dorado won out by displaying more rum like characteristics.

A very enjoyable miniature tasting!

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A Maestro Dobel Tequila Trio, Silver, Diamante Reposado & Anejo, 40%

Tequila – It makes me happy.

Sang Terrorvision back in the 1990’s.

And both are still keeping me happy today!

Tequila trio c/othewhiskeynut

This tasty trio from Maestro Dobel come in classy bottles topped with cork stoppers – even in miniatures!

Silver – otherwise unaged Tequila.

Silver c/othewhiskeynut

A delightful full on flavoursome agave hit – rich earthiness abounds! It’s what I like in a 100% agave – and it certainly delivers.

A lovely exploration of the tequila genre.

Diamante Reposado – aged from 2 to 12 months in oak barrels.

Diamante c/othewhiskeynut

Usually reposado tequila takes on a slightly golden hue from the barrel ageing – but Diamante Reposado has been filtered to remove the colour – and although exceptionally smooth & easy going with a touch of spice on the rear – I can’t help feeling some of those rich agave flavours have been stripped out too!

Añejo – aged from 1 to 3 years in oak.

Anejo c/othewhiskeynut

A touch of woodiness, a hint of tobacco, a smidgen of smoke.

Añejo is an elegantly balanced & complex tequila displaying an agave base overlaid with flavours emanating from those wooden barrels.

A wonderful combination!

Picking a winner from this trio depends on the angle you’re coming from;

For agave fans – Silver is the truest representation,

Añejo would please whiskey drinkers,

While Diamante Reposado offers an easy drinking platform for cocktails.

Back label c/othewhiskeynut

For me Diamante Reposado was a bit of a disappointment – but the full on flavours of both Silver & Añejo excited my palate.

They kept me happy!

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A Pair of Liverpool’s, 12 Year Old, Single Malt Whisky, 46%, 16 Year Old, Single Cask Rum, 43%

There is a Gin Distillery in Liverpool – but as far as I know no whisky or rum is made there.

This pair of plainly – yet strikingly bold – labelled bottles would therefore be sourced spirits for the Liverpool brand who are in turn part of Halewood International.

The simple design appealed to me – along with the high age statements – so a couple of miniatures were ordered – via Just Miniatures.

12yo Single Malt c/othewhiskeynut

Liverpool Whisky, 12 Year Old, Small Batch, Single Malt, 46%

The whisky is light brown in colour with viscous legs.

A honeyed nose redolent of sweet summer fruits greeted me.

Soft, easy & inviting.

Back label c/othewhiskeynut

Quite a spirity little number – but possessing a decent depth of flavour & a lovely prickly spice on the finish.

A very nice single malt indeed.

16yo rum c/othewhiskeynut

Liverpool Rum, 16 Year Old, Small Batch, Single Cask, 43%

A deep golden brown – also with viscous legs.

Sweet caramelly nose with a hint of funk peeking through.

The palate was gentle & smooth. Layers of dark demerara coated the mouth before a growing oaky woodiness added drying tannic spice on the finish.

Back rum c/othewhiskeynut

These are both fine spirits.

You may not know who or where they were distilled – but they are certainly enjoyable to encounter!

A pair of Liverpools c/othewhiskeynut

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Jim Beam Black, 8 Year Old, 43%

There’s an attractive quality to miniatures.

The opportunity to try out unknown treasures – or non runners – before buying a full bottle.

The ease of transport – particularly when flying!

Jim Beam 8 c/othewhiskeynut

And the chance to taste a wide variety of styles without breaking the bank.

This Jim Beam was part of a job lot auction acquisition.

A simple yet bold label design pleased me.

Packs a punch! c/othewhiskeynut

Signature sweet bourbony notes with a touch of oakiness on the nose.

The charred casks coupled with added ageing had boosted the depth of the palate with more warmth & richness.

At 43% it packed a spirity punch – which I found attractive.

Miniatures are fleeting memories.

Especially when you find out the 8 Year Old was dropped in favour of an NAS – non age statement – I encountered here.

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