Irish Rover Irish Whiskey, 40%, Blend

I don’t know if 3 Counties Spirits have a back catalogue of Irish folk songs to name their whiskeys after – but I’m very happy to purchase this latest release – Irish Rover.

Having previously enjoyed the very well presented Galtee Mountain Boy Irish Whiskey from the same independent bottlers – Irish Rover differs in being ‘ a delicate blend of grain and malt Irish Whiskey’ – and is produced in ‘the South West of Ireland’ – which kind of narrows down the distillery to West Cork.

Irish Rover is also a response to the Minimum Unit Pricing – MUP – regime in place in Ireland.

I used to pick up 700ml bottles in the sub €20 category – now they’re all €22.09 minimum.

Going for 500ml bottles allows you to purchase sub €20 bottles again.

Happy days!

So how is Irish Rover Irish Whiskey to experience?

A no nonsense screw cap is cracked open to pour a light golden brown whiskey – no mention of added caramel or not – although Non Chill Filtered is stated.

A fairly shy nose – hints of vanilla & caramel with a touch of bready malt peeking through.

Easy on the palate. Smooth & mild.

A welcome growing heat develops on the rear – augmented by a flourish of almost gingery spice on the finish.

Really enjoyed this one!

That spicy finale endears Irish Rover to me.

Available in yer local Tesco!

Sláinte

3 Counties Spirit website here.

My blog on Galtee Mountain Boy Irish Whiskey here.

Tesco listing here.

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Loch Measc Single Malt, 45%

This is what a 3 year old whiskey looks like at natural colour.

Pale straw like yellow.

Loch Measc in County Mayo have released their inaugural single malt whiskey non-chill filtered & natural colour.

There’s certainly a freshness to the nose – almost minty.

Smooth palate – merest hints of flavours.

A lovely warming finale gives a lip smacking sensation with residues of new make whiskey, prickliness & a certain dryness too.

Lovely to get the opportunity to try out a new Irish distillery’s output – even if at only 3 years of age this is still a work in progress.

There is pressure on new distilleries to have something on offer to tempt folks in. Initially that might be poitín or new make offerings. Vodka & gin also provide a revenue stream while their own whiskey matures. Clearly many go for sourced whiskey to get their name out there & build up a relationship with both customers & retail streams. Loch Measc have chosen to only release their own distillate – albeit an early offering that hints at future flavours to come rather than a well rounded mature core product.

Will be interesting to see what the next few years adds to this initial whiskey.

Sláinte

Loch Measc website here.

My thanks to @simonsaysbeer for delivering this miniature from the Grainne Ale Craft Beer Festival

Dundalgan Irish Whiskey Gift Pack, 2 x Blends, 40%, 3 x Single Malts, 42%

I do love a miniature gift pack.

Especially one coming from ‘the largest wholly owned distillery in the country of Ireland’.

West Cork Distillers are a powerhouse of Irish Whiskey. They produce their own branded whiskey range – as well as supplying many a supermarket own label – as in this Dundalgan Gift Pack for Lidl – and several other non-distillery Irish Whiskey brands too.

I enjoy the opportunity a miniature pack gives to explore the diversity of range & styles available at a single setting.

My encounters with Dundalgan started back in 2018 & have continued ever since. I admire their evolution both in terms of label design & tweaking of product from batch to batch.

Without further ado – here’s what I found.

Dundalgan Blended Irish Whiskey, 40%

This entry level blend has always delivered the goods. An easy going vanilla & caramel nose, pleasant soft mouthfeel with a little kick on the finish.

A benchmark Irish Whiskey blend.

Dundalgan Charred Cask, Blend, 40%

Given an additional finish in charred casks has imbued this whiskey with a darker hue – along with added richness & warmth. Smoother on the palate there’s enhanced depth with a touch of spice on the rear.

Nice.

Dundalgan Stout Cask, Single Malt, 42%

The first of a trio of single malts featuring different cask finishes. The Stout Cask offers up an almondy nutty nose. Soft yet rich on the palate, a prickly tingling on the rear no doubt added to by the extra 42% presentation.

Dundalgan IPA Cask, Single Malt, 42%

I’m not a fan of IPA in craft beer – but in whiskey it does add a light fruitiness to the palate with a hint of bitterness on the rear.

A refreshing contrast to the other offerings.

Dudalgan Sherry Cask, Single Malt, 42%

You could say – along with the Blended Whiskey – this is the most traditional offering in the portfolio. A soft easy nose segues into a mild & gentle palate topped off with a dry spice on the rear.

Well balanced.

Thoughts

Regardless of your palate preferences there’s a Dundalgan to suit all – although I’m still holding out for a smoky version myself!

Given that all these whiskey are presented with natural colouring & non chill filtered at an affordable price they offer an impressive array of flavours.

My choice steers me towards the honest simplicity of Blended Irish Whiskey & the refreshing lightness of IPA Cask.

Which ones would you have chosen?

Sláinte

West Cork Distillers website here.

Gauldrons, Blended Malt, 46.2%

My favourite whisky shop in Anstruther doesn’t just do novelty whisky – it also does proprietary brands.

Respected bottlers Douglas Laing are behind this Gauldrons Blended Malt.

Described as ‘ a marriage of aged single malts from Campbeltown‘ Gauldrons is presented non chill filtered with no colouring.

Suitably pale in the glass – always a good sign in my book.

I’m getting a soft kiss of smoke with old leather on the nose.

Easy mouthfeel – sweet & biscuity – builds with intensity to a prickly drying crescendo.

Was expecting a bit more of a peat hit – Gauldrons was quite mild mannered & tame in that respect – yet otherwise a decent dram.

Sláinte

The Wee Couper Of Fife website here.

Douglas Laing website here.

All images authors own.

Teeling, The Revival Vol V, 12 Year Old Single Malt, 46%

A special whiskey require a suitable time to be opened.

The festive season provided an opportune occasion to crack open & share the contents of this splendid bottle.

Teeling Whiskey Company were at the forefront of bringing whiskey distilling back to the heart of Dublin when they opened up in 2015.

They have successfully leveraged that position by releasing a series of limited edition whiskeys under The Revival series label.

As much care & thought has gone into the presentation packaging of this whiskey as to the actual contents.

The elegant oversized black & gold box swings open to reveal an opulent looking bottle. The Phoenix seal of approval officially declares the contents.

The bottle itself is suitably heavy & chunky while the gold topped cork stopper is also of solid weight.

All of this screams ‘Premium Product’ to me – as well as added expense.

I’ve a feeling a lot of these bottles are destined to never being opened.

Some may end up on prominent display to boost the credibility & bragging rights of the owner.

Others may be hidden in vaults to accrue added value & emerge at a future date for sale to eager collectors.

I’m into whiskey however for the taste & flavour so a glass – or two – was poured!

Now I must admit to being fond of Teeling Whiskey.

They generally release at 46% or above which usually denotes non chill filtering & natural colour. The crispness, clarity & richness of flavour attest to this.

Revival V is no exception.

For me the ex-cognac cask have added a sumptuous nuttiness to the mix – which has me hooked.

Being a 12 year old the original whiskey clearly wasn’t distilled by Teeling.

They acquired a large inventory of sourced stock from an unnamed Irish Distillery – or distilleries – from which they’ve further matured, finished, mixed & blended under the expert guidance of Master Distiller Alex Chasko.

What may have originally been destined as the malt content in a blend, a 40% chill filtered & coloured supermarket whiskey – or even a single cask distillery offering – has ended up as a splendidly presented limited release whiskey.

This is not core release Teeling.

This is unicorn bottling.

A one off chance to grab some quality Irish Whiskey while it lasts.

I’m glad someone grabbed it for me.

This kind of product is no longer within my reach!

Sláinte

Teeling Whiskey Distillery website here.

That Boutique-Y Whisky, World Whisky Blend, 41.6% vs The Whistler, The Good The Bad & The Smoky, Blended Malt, 48%

That Boutique-Y Whisky, World Whisky Blend, 41.6%

Image courtesy That Boutique-Y Whisky Co

I do like a bit of a mystery blend.

Independent bottlers That Boutique-Y Whisky have done a few of them over the years & this World Whisky Blend made up of distillate from around the world is a celebration of the art of blending.

A soft nose greeted me with the merest hint of smoke.

Nice & easy delivery, lovely sweet grain, touch of depth.

Growing complexity on the rear leaving with a tingly drying sensation.

A very engaging blend to sip & savour!

The Whistler, The Good The Bad & The Smoky, Blended Malt, 48%

Image courtesy Boann Distillery

The Whistler series are part of Boann Distillery’s growing range of sourced spirits with witty names showcasing their blending & bottling prowess.

How could I resist The Good The Bad & The Smoky?

Soft & smooth palate slowly builds in intensity.

Opens up into a glowing hearth fire on the rear finally exhibiting The Smoky – which up until now had been subdued.

Neither the nose nor the palate kind of let you know what this one develops into!

Very intriguing!

Thoughts

If it was on the name only – The Good The Bad & The Smoky would win hands down.

But on the taste & overall experience?

Well The Whistler was certainly a bit of a rollercoaster of a ride alright – if slightly unexpected at the end.

That Boutique-Y came across more of a balanced easy drinker if anything – with a bit more complexity too – so for that reason the World Whisky Blend gets my vote!

By the way That Boutique-Y inform me this blend is made up of distillate from; Scotland, Canada, Ireland, Sweden, USA, Switzerland, Netherlands, Taiwan, India, Italy, Germany, France, Japan & Finland.

Now that’s a harmonious whisky!

Sláinte

That Boutique-Y Whisky webpage here.

Boann Distillery website here.

Whiskeys purchased from Tiny Tipple.

An Fear Grinn, Móinteach No 2, Peated Single Malt, 46%

You gotta hand it to An Fear Grinn – they do release some delicious whiskey.

It helps – of course – that they’re all presented non chill filtered & natural colour at usually 46% – or above.

This – to me at least – accentuates the strength of flavour within.

Their latest release – Móinteach No 2 – is a follow on from the original peated single malt Móinteach of last year.

There’s a classic iodiney, TCP kind of nose going on with No 2. Not overpowering – just very clearly stated.

Clean & crisp on the palate. Lovely freshness. Again the peat influence is evident.

Finishes with a lip-smacking dryness coating the mouth in a prickly tingliness which excites & leaves with a soft smokiness.

Image courtesy An Fear Grinn

An elegantly presented smoker of a malt.

Catch it while you can!

Sláinte

An Fear Grinn website here.

My blog on Móinteach here.

Sample kindly supplied by An Fear Grinn.

Method And Madness, Rye & Malt, 46%

After falling in love with Shortcross Rye And Malt I thought I’d order up a sample of Method And Madness Rye & Malt from Tiny Tipple for a comparison.

Image courtesy Celtic Whiskey Shop

Reassuringly pale in colour.

Where’s the rye on the nose? It’s rather timid & tame.

Mild & malty mouthfeel.

It’s only on the finish a rich peppery spice develops showcasing the rye that’s in there.

After Shortcross I must admit to finding Method And Madness a bit of a letdown.

Despite a 60/40 rye/barley mix there was a distinct lack of warmth from this whiskey.

Too much of the method & not enough madness for me.

Sláinte

Method And Madness Rye & Malt website here.

My Shortcross blog here.

Tiny Tipple website here.

Shortcross Rye And Malt, 46%, at Thomas Connolly Bar, Sligo

Now here’s a whiskey I instantly fell in love with!

Shortcross Rye And Malt is the 2nd release from the boutique Rademon Estate Distillery in Northern Ireland.

It marks the return of rye to Irish Whiskey with a bold & unapologetic offering.

The 1909 Royal Commission into whiskey – which paved the way for the modern industry we know today – mentions Irish Whiskey usually being made with a mixed mashbill of barley, oats, wheat & rye.

I’m very pleased to see distilleries like Rademon exploring the rich flavours these grains deliver.

Being a self confessed lover of rye – Shortcross Rye And Malt displays that classic rye nose to draw me in.

Some describe it as dry sweet biscuit, my other half experienced almondy nuttiness.

A warming luscious mouthfeel.

The dryness of the rye has been balanced by a barley creaminess.

Offering both depth & complexity Rye And Malt finishes with a flourish of dry peppery spice that delights.

Love it!

Shortcross double distill Irish grown rye & barley & present the whiskey non chill filtered, natural colour at 46%.

Thomas Connolly have an extensive array of Irish Whiskey to suit all palates – especially rye heads!

Sláinte

Rademon Estate website here.

1909 Commission Report here.

Thomas Connolly website here.

Lough Ree Distillery Tasting in Dead Centre Brewing

It’s not everyday you come away from a whiskey tasting championing a vodka,

But then it’s not everyday you encounter such an innovative drinks producer like Lough Ree Distillery.

Mike Clancy from Lough Ree entertained us with a highly informative talk & introduction to 5 of the companies offerings.

We kicked off with Bart’s – the company’s core Irish Whiskey blend – which I’ve always found very attractive. Read my blog here.

The Dead Centre collaborative Single Malt Whiskey duo were equally well received – with No1 just winning it for me in this 2nd tasting. Read my original thoughts here.

The limited release Bethlehem Bridge Series Single Grain Whiskey proved to be a favourite all round with it’s rich, deep & dark flavours captivating the audience.

Image courtesy Celtic Whiskey Shop

The final spirit was introduced blind.

I began with fresh citrus, another added smokiness, more enjoyed the smooth yet drying mouthfeel topped off with a slight spicy tingling.

Somewhat surprised to learn this was a vodka infused with Irish peat!

Such an entertaining, easy & enjoyable tipple to round up an excellent showcase for all the exciting developments at Lough Ree Distillery.

Sláinte

Lough Ree Distillery website here.

Dead Centre website here.