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

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Burnt Ends, Blended Whiskey, 45%

I liked the concept.

Blending Tennessee Rye with Peated Single Malt Scotch to create a World Whiskey.

It sits outside the rules of both camps and would annoy the ‘traditionalists’ – which is another reason for me to love it before even tasting the liquid!

But as it contains rye whiskey & peated whisky – both styles I enjoy – it would appear to be a ‘no-brainer’ for me to purchase.

So I did.

Packaged in an attractive medicine bottle the whiskey exudes a cheeky fun quality.

Pours a rich golden brown.

Smoking nose!

Very inticing.

Fairly mild start to the palate – do find a sherry finish mutes some of the stronger smoky elements with a sweet veneer – before that smoke – finding it more ‘smoked’ than ‘peated’ – shines through.

There is a tingling dryness on the finish – but can’t work out if that’s the peat or rye?

I often experience a similar finish with many a peated whiskey so wonder what the rye element is actually bringing to this fine blend.

Burnt Ends does float my boat however.

A fun & extremely satisfying whiskey to sip & savour!

Sláinte

May Lóag Diamond, Elegance & Triple Wood Irish Whiskey, 46%

I was impressed by May Lóag.

The attractiveness of their dumpy bottles complete with horned stoppers was heightened by the quality of the tasty liquid inside.

This trio of whiskey was recently sampled in the fabulous Dead Centre Brewing in Athlone.

Elegance Single Malt, 46%

Elegance by name – elegant by drinking experience.

Enjoying this classic ex-bourbon cask only matured whiskey. Provided a richness on the palate followed by a frisson of spice on the rear topped off with a gentle kick.

Nice!

Triple Wood Single Malt, 46%

Rich, sweet sherry bomb of a blend.

Triple Wood displayed a smoother, sweeter palate marrying together a combination of ex-bourbon, sherry & red wine casks in juicy fruitiness.

Sweet!

Diamond 10 Year Old Blend, 46%

A rich vanilla & caramel nose captivated me.

The sumptuousness of this whiskey was balanced by an appealing woody spiciness which added an element of prickliness on the finish.

Lovely!

Thoughts

All of these divergent whiskeys impressed with clean, clear flavours.

Despite the grandness of Diamond, I was drawn to the simple pleasures of a well presented standard ex-bourbon matured single malt in Elegance.

Quality whiskey indeed!

Sláinte

May Lóag website here.

Dead Centre website here.

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.

Dalmore Valour, Single Malt, 40%

This whisky has been quietly sitting at the back of my spirits stash for too long.

Worried that it could be getting past it’s ‘best before’ date a few drams were deemed in order.

Dalmore is a popular brand represented by the highly entertaining master blender Richard Paterson.

Valour is a Travel Retail Exclusive NAS (Non Age Statement) matured in ex-bourbon casks & aged in oloroso & port barrels. Presented at 40% it contains added caramel & is likely chill filtered too.

I found it an easy going single malt with a soft kiss of tobacco smoke, dark fruits & a touch of prickly frisson on the finish.

I’d describe the flavours as dirty, muddy & muted – but they are warming, welcoming & accessible.

The whole range benefits from a visually distinctive bottle replete with a deer’s antler motif.

A rather ‘safe’ whisky.

Sláinte

Dalmore webpage here.

An interview with Richard Paterson 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.

The Galtee Mountain Boy Irish Whiskey, 40%

It’s a long way to Tipperary

But The Galtee Mountain Boy Irish Whiskey made the journey to Paeder’s Bar in Moate, County Westmeath.

Attractively packaged in a ceramic bottle proudly displaying an old photograph of young volunteers made it stand out on the spirits shelve.

A blend of single grain, single malt & single pot still Irish Whiskey matured in ex-bourbon casks & given a finish in extra charred casks The Galtee Mountain Boy displays a soft caramely nose with a touch of toffee.

Warm mouthfeel with sweet vanilla & darker, richer notes giving some body to the table.

Finishes with a flourish of spice.

An easy yet characterful little number imbued with a rich historical legacy.

Sláinte

Peader’s Bar facebook page here.

Three Counties Liquor website here.

Kinsale Spirits Co, The Triumvirate, Blend, Single Grain & Single Malt, 40% to 43%, Irish Whiskey

I previously tried this attractive trio – blog here – but now they’ve appeared in an eye-catching miniature set complete with historical stories regarding the Earls portrayed & tasting notes on the whiskeys too – I thought I’d give them another go!

Red Earl, Blended Irish Whiskey, 40%

Triple casked, finished in Rioja casks. This light brown blend has a gentle aroma of soft dark fruits. The palate is quite soft yet there’s a delightful fruit bomb on the finish. An added prickly spice livens up the finish.

A very pleasant offering.

Great Earl, Single Grain Irish Whiskey, 40%

Triple casked, finished in Sangiovese casks. Not come across that wine before! Slightly paler in colour. Finding the nose more expressive than the blend – richer & more redolent. A lovely sweet grainy appeal on the palate slowly develops into a punchier finish.

Liking this one!

Spanish Earl, Single Malt Irish Whiskey, 43%

Triple casked, finished in Stout casks. Upping the game with a few extra ABV! A darker shade of straw. Finding the nose a tad muted – but darker & heavier when it does appear. Very smooth & silky palate. The stout cask flavours emerge with dark toffee & burnt toast notes.

Vey attractive.

Thoughts

A terrific trio!

It’s actually hard to pick a favourite from these well presented whiskeys. All lean towards a sweet wine cask finished style with the malt introducing darker stout elements. On this occasion Spanish Earl won me over. What it lost on the nose was more than compensated by a rich finish.

Olé

Kinsale Spirits Co website here.

All images authors own.

Rúa American Single Malt, 46% & Four Roses Small Batch Bourbon, 45%

American Single Malt Whiskey is a growing category.

I thought a back to back with one of the new breed of American Distillery’s releases against a more established Bourbon producer was in order.

Image courtesy Celtic Whiskey Bar

Rúa American Single Malt, 46%

Distilled at the Great Wagon Road Distillery in North Carolina & claiming Irish heritage with the Rúa name is this non chill filtered , natural colour organic, non GMO barley offering.

A lovely richness to the nose. Mild & mellow on the palate. Slowly builds developing into a very attractive & enjoyable array of flavours which dance merrily away.

A very well presented single malt.

Image courtesy Celtic Whiskey Bar

Four Roses Small Batch Bourbon, 45%

Hailing from the long established & popular Four Roses Distillery in Kentucky is this Small Batch release. A blend of different bourbon mash-bills with varying degrees of rye content.

I immediately get a warm dry nose – indicative of the high rye content Four Roses is known for. A satisfying mouthfeel where the dry spiciness of the rye interplays with the smooth sweet corn influence. Leaves with that signature prickly spice.

Nice & easy.

Thoughts

I enjoyed both of these!

Trying to pick a winner is a bit tricky.

Do I go for the subtle yet engaging flavours of the newcomer single malt?

Or stick with the bolder rye spices of the established player?

Four Roses are relatively easy to encounter – but I do think Rúa is worth seeking out.

It’s constantly seeking new experiences that engage me on this spirit journey – so Rúa it is!

Sláinte

Whiskey & Philosophy, Editors Fritz Allhoff & Marcus P Adams

Wow!

I’ve never read a whiskey book like this before.

Authors from differing disciplines were invited to submit essays on varying aspects relating to whiskey.

The results are highly entertaining, thought provoking and at times – challenging.

Can you apply Hegelian thought, Aristotle virtue, the philosophy of Dualism, Buddhism or plain old group think & social cohesion to tasting a whiskey?

It’s all in the mix of this publication.

Why do you like one whiskey over another?

Is taste malleable?

Does knowing the master blender, visiting the distillery, being part of the clan, liking the manufacturing techniques, agreeing with the sustainable policies, bottle design, price point all alter our experience of drinking whiskey?

I certainly have my views of the above – and they’ve been further enlightened by the discourse within the pages of this book.

Whiskey & Philosophy is a bold publication full of complexity & rich depth. The diverse elements combine elegantly giving creative excitement to this blended entity.

Highly recommended!

Sláinte