Saoirse, Rum Alternative, 0%

Non alcoholic drinks are expanding at a rapid rate.

It’s always good to see an Irish Distillery – Old Carrick Mill Distillery in this case – get in on the act. Especially when offered at an attractive price in Aldi too!

Saoirse means freedom in Irish – yet the nose offered up a pleasant sweet fruity fragrance.

A tad watery on the palate – similar to other non-alcoholic spirits – that lacked body & depth.

Sadly the finish faded rather quickly too. Leaving little taste or flavour behind.

Perhaps these kind of drinks are more suited for cocktails – which aren’t my thing.

A pleasant nose, an attractive bottle & affordable price still don’t compensate for a rather weak drinking experience – but then I’m not really the target audience.

A worthy entrant to the non-alcoholic category.

Sláinte

All photos authors own.

May Lóag Oriel & Bordeaux Smoked, Blends, 40%

The rise of Irish Whiskey continues at an unprecedented pace & anything that gets you noticed in an ever increasing marketplace is a bonus.

May Lóag Irish Whiskey’s attractively designed bottles crowned with distinctive ‘Bull Horns’ evoking tales of Táin Bó Cúailnge – Cattle Raid Of Cooley – certainly stand out from the crowd.

But what do they taste like?

A recent gathering of the Athlone Whiskey Tasting Society provided the answer.

Oriel was first up.

The core blend comprises of ‘malt and grain Irish Whiskey aged in bourbon, red wine and sherry casks’ as stated on the label.

A very expressive & engaging sweet nose enticed me in.

Quite light on the palate yet subtle notes of dark fruitiness provided welcome depth.

A gently pleasing spice rounded this very well balanced & delightful blend up.

Bordeaux Smoked – also a blend – came ‘Lightly Peated’ with a 2 cask maturation of ‘bourbon and red wine’.

The soft sweet peat on the nose was a delight.

A fresh lightness on the palate gave clarity to the interplay of vanilla, dark fruits & an enjoyable smokiness.

The smoke gently faded away on a prickly drying finish.

A gorgeous & gentle sweet peater with subtle depth.

May Lóag have released a very tasty pair of attractive blends in distinctive packaging at an extremely competitive price to boot.

Here’s hoping May Lóag gain the popularity they deserve.

Sláinte

May Lóag Irish Whiskey is a brand from Old Carrick Mill, Carrickmacross, website here.

New Irish Whiskey

There’s hard sell – & then there’s soft sell.

A duo of distilleries in Ulster have recently released their first whiskeys to market.

Being small concerns they lack the advertising might, supply chain connections & brand recognition of established players to garnish much attention.

Blind tasting c/othewhiskeynut

My Northern correspondent obtained a trio – added a pair of wild cards – & presented 5 blind samples for my tasting pleasure.

In order of preference – this is what I found.

Mourne DEW Irish Whiskey c/oMourneDEW

1st place, Sample 5, Mourne DEW Irish Whiskey, Blend, 40%

‘Soft vanilla, mellow soft & slightly smokey, dry smoke on finish.’

I knew some of the releases had a peaty element – which I like – & I found it in sample 5. It wasn’t overpowering – gently balanced, easy & attractive. A delightful blend.

May-Lóag Peated c/oMayLóag

2nd place, Sample 1, May-Lóag, Peated, Blend, 40%

‘Sweet fresh & honeyed, complex rich flavours, lovely spice on finish.’

I was immediately taken by this one. The reveal surprised me being peated – as I didn’t detect it on tasting! I did get a very enjoyable & characterful whiskey!

The above two captivated me – I’d happily purchase both – leaving the rest somewhat in the shadows.

Bushmills 10yo c/oCelticWhiskeyShop

3rd place, Sample 4, Bushmills 10 Year Old Single Malt, 40%

‘Clean & fresh ex-bourbon cask, soft & mellow, prickliness on rear, drying, hint of smoke?’

A standard of Irish Whiskey. It just didn’t shine against the new entrants.

May-Lóag Small Batch c/oMayLóag

4th place, Sample 2, May-Lóag Small Batch, Single Malt, 40%

‘More mellowed, sweet & earthy, flatter on palate, nice spice on long lasting finish.’

Lacked a certain ‘oomph & character’ of it’s peated sister. Pleasant easy sipper.

West Cork Virgin Oak c/oCelticWhiskeyShop

5th place, Sample 3, West Cork, Virgin Oak Cask, Single Malt, 43%

‘Honeyed hint of smoke?, soft mellow & earthy palate, prickliness on rear.’

The reveal surprised me again. I’d have expected richer vanilla & caramel with some peppery spice from the virgin oak casks. Obviously being ‘finished’ rather than ‘matured’ hadn’t brought out enough flavour for my liking.

So there we go.

A very enjoyable tasting session where 2 of the newest entrants to the Irish Whiskey scene excited me.

I look forward to many more!

Sláinte