10-Year-Old is the original Laphroaig, distilled the same way today as when Ian Hunter invented it more than 75 years ago. In making Laphroaig, malted barley is dried over a peat fire. The smoke from this peat, found only on Islay, gives the whisky its particularly rich flavour. Bold smoky taste, followed by a hint of seaweed and a surprising sweetness. This full-bodied variant is the foundation of all Laphroaig expressions and comes with a long finish. The most richly flavoured of all Scotch whiskies. Distilled on the remote island of Islay off the West Coast of Scotland.
A delightful single pot still Irish whiskey, Redbreast 12 Year Old is highly praised by Jim Murray and a host of other notable critics. Distilled at the Midleton site from malted and un-malted barley, it’s then matured in a combination of American oak bourbon barrels and Spanish oak Oloroso sherry butts. Fantastic multi-award-winning whiskey!
Bottled at 53.5% abv. “Colour: Vibrant copper. On the nose: Fresh and full of spice, malt spice, caramelized bananas with dark chocolate shavings. There’s distinct orange zest surrounding by macadamia nuts, wood shavings, dried apricots and herbaceous blackcurrant leaf. This is all the while underlined by sweet demerara caramel and honeycomb. In the mouth: Poached peaches and pears with a chocolate and coconut flakes sprinkled throughout. The nuttiness shines throughout the palate while the distinct malt character holds its own, still distinctly Bushmills. It’s got a hint of marshmallow which makes me think of Rocky road with a dashing of dried fruits. Traces...
The creation of master blender Alex Thomas, The Sexton Single Malt Irish whiskey is made from 100% Irish malted barley, triple distilled in copper pot stills. After, the liquid is aged in Spanish Oloroso sherry casks imparting a rich and fruity character. It comes in a rather eye-catching hexagonal bottle, too.
This is the second addition to the 'Spot' range of Irish whiskeys, which contains the famous Green Spot Still Whiskey. The Yellow Spot is a single pot still Irish whiskey which has been matured in three types of cask: American bourbon cask, Spanish Sherry butts and Spanish Malaga casks for a sweeter flavour. Tasting Notes Nose: There are masses of fleshy stone fruit on the nose, especially peach and apricot with hints of sherried dried fruit and Bourbon cask vanilla. Palate: The palate is equally fruity with a substantial body and a velvety texture. Finish: The finish is long and sweet with notes of marzipan...
Jameson Caskmates is an intriguing release. Having sent some of their casks to the local craft stout brewers at Franciscan Well, the casks were returned to Midleton where they were subsequently used to give a stout finish to Jameson! Nose: There's still cut grass and some fruit alongside delicious oily pot still character, but things are different here too. Is it sweeter? A different sweetness perhaps, more wood spice plus chocolate liqueur. Palate: Orchard fruits, great mouth-feel but the vanilla cream is less prominent, it's more fragrant (hoppy?) and floral on the palate with a touch of bitterness. Finish: Again familiar, but different,...
It's the 2019 edition of Midleton's fantastic Very Rare series, and once again master distiller Brian Nation has created an astonishing expression. It's made using single pot still and single grain Irish whiskeys, and was matured exclusively in lightly-charred ex-bourbon American oak barrels. A rich, fruity expression this year, backed up by waves of vanilla and oaky spices.
It's the third batch of single malt Irish whiskey released by the Dingle distillery in Kerry. While the first batch was drawn from bourbon casks and the second batch was drawn from bourbon and Pedro Ximénez casks, batch three is a marriage of Bourbon cask and Port cask-matured whiskey!
Tasting Note
Nose: Hot chocolate and salted caramel, with a touch of dried mango.
Palate: Malty and very slightly earthy, with a good whack of dried fruit bringing balance to the palate.
Finish: Chocolate chip cookies, five-spice, menthol.
Green Spot is a fabulous single pot still whiskey and much loved by the critics. This Irish whiskey has come far from the days when it was only sold in Mitchell's grocery shop in the heart of Dublin, though its flavour profile is still just as robust. The whiskey has matured in a combination of first and second fill bourbon casks as well as sherry casks.
Crested Ten was first released by Jameson in 1963, when the whiskey bonding trade was dying out. With a high proportion of pot still and Sherry-matured whiskeys, this is a top Irish blend, a real gem.
