Irish Single Malt whiskeys
Welcome back Everyone! Today we are talking about Irish Whiskey. More specifically about Irish Single Malts. However, I would like to give you some more information about what Irish Whiskey really is, then I will tell you my thoughts on five single malts, one from Teeling, one from Tyrconnel, one from The Whistler and two bottles from Waterford. Strap in and enjoy the ride!
Irish whiskey is whiskey made on the island of Ireland. The word 'whiskey' (or whisky) comes from the Irish uisce beatha, meaning water of life. Irish whiskey was once the most popular spirit in the world, though a long period of decline from the late 19th century onwards greatly damaged the industry, so much so that although Ireland boasted at least 28 distilleries in the 1890s, by 1966 this number had fallen to just two, and by 1972 the remaining distilleries, Bushmills Distillery and Old Midleton Distillery (replaced by New Midleton Distillery), were owned by just one company, Irish Distillers.
The monopoly situation was ended by an academically-conceived launch of the first new distillery in decades, Cooley Distillery, in 1987. Since 1990, Irish whiskey has seen a resurgence in popularity and has been the fastest-growing spirit in the world every year since. With exports growing by over 15% per annum, existing distilleries have been expanded and a number of new distilleries constructed. As of December 2019, Ireland has 32 distilleries in operation, with more either planned or under development.
Irish whiskey comes in several forms, with the name of the style depending on the type of grain used and the distillation process. Traditionally, Irish whiskey was produced in pot stills and distilled three times for extra smoothness and fruitiness. Irish whiskeys made in a pot still fall into two categories.
- Single malt whiskey: Whiskeys made entirely from malted barley distilled in a pot still within a single distillery are referred to as single malt whiskeys, a style also very commonly associated with Scotch whisky. These may be double or triple distilled.
- Single pot still whiskey: Single pot still whiskey is made from a mixture of malted and unmalted barley completely distilled in a pot still within a single distillery. This differs from single malt whiskey through the inclusion of raw, unmalted grain in the mash. This style has also historically been referred to as "pure pot still" whiskey and "Irish pot still whiskey", with older bottlings and memorabilia often bearing these names. Single pot whiskeys were the most common style of Irish whiskey until the emergence of blends in the 20th century.
- Grain whiskey: Whiskey produced from continuous distillation in a column or Coffey still, rather than a pot still, is referred to as grain whiskey. This may be produced from a variety of grains. Lighter and more neutral in taste, this spirit is rarely found on its own, though some examples exist. The vast majority of grain whiskey is used to make blended whiskey, a product made by mixing column still product with richer and more intense pot still product.
- Blended whiskey: A mixture of the above styles. Regardless of whether the blended whiskey is made from combining grain whiskey with either single malt whiskey or with single pot still whiskey or both, it is labelled with the same terminology. Blended whiskeys are now the most common style of both Irish and Scotch whiskeys.
Teeling Single Malt - Natural Color, Non-chill filtered, 46%
Teeling Distillery is an Irish whiskey distillery established in Dublin in 2015 by the Teeling Whiskey Company. It is the first new whiskey distillery to have opened in Dublin, once a world whiskey distilling capital, in over 125 years. In fact, with the last of the original Dublin distilleries having closed in 1976, it is the first whiskey distillery to operate in Dublin, once home to at least 37 distilleries, in almost 40 years.
The distillery was established by Jack and Stephen Teeling, whose father John Teeling had founded the monopoly-breaking Cooley Distillery in 1987. It is located in the Liberties area of Dublin, close to where Walter Teeling, an ancestor of the family had established a distillery on Marrowbone Lane in 1782. The symbol of the brand, a phoenix rising from a pot still, symbolises the re-establishment of the Teeling whiskey brand.
Teeling has a huge core range that you can choose from.
- The Unconventional Collection that consists of the Small Batch blended whiskey, the Single Malt, the Single Grain, the Single Pot Still and the Blackpitts Peated Single Malt. All of them coming in at 46%, tripled distilled and non-chill filtered.
- The Limited Edition bottlings: the Blackpitts Cask Strength and the Wonders of Wood #1-2-3 bottlings. The Blackpitts coming in at 56.5% while the WoW editions at 50%, triple distilled and non-chill filtered.
- The Vintage Reserve Collection, which includes their most prestigious bottlings. The Rising Reserve No. 1 and 2, and a 30 and a 32 year old single malt. All of them coming in at 46%, tripled distilled and non-chill filtered.
"Made with Irish Whiskeys distilled from 100% malted barley, matured and finished in casks that impart the influence of five wine casks (Virgin American Oak, Ruby Port, Caravelos White Port, Madeira, and Bourbon). This Irish Single Malt Whiskey delivers a unique fruit-forward flavour profile that is complex, yet balanced and has often been described as "a symphony" of flavour."
Nose: A very fruity nose right away. I am getting a huge banana note that I got in almost all Teelings I have tried. Papaya, pineapple and bright red fruits such as raspberry and strawberries. Maltiness coming through with a bit of woodiness and milk chocolate. A very nice and inviting tropical nose.
Taste: Full bodied, hefty and powerful. It's great. The mouthfeel is good, very oily and smooth. Cavalcade of tropical fruits: pineapple, banana, papaya, mango and coconut milk. Cereals and digestive biscuits. A nice oaky touch. White grapes, wine gums and coffee.
Finish: Due to it's ABV the finish is medium to long. Very sweet and fruity, smooth and wants to make you drink more of it. Pleasant.
Overall this is a very good starting expression from Teeling. I think they put quite enough care into this whiskey to make it loveable. Great cask usage and great flavor profile thanks to that. The 46% ABV is also appreciated. This is worth every penny you pay for it. 86 / 100
Tyrconnell Single Malt - Natural Color (?), Non-chill filtered (?), 43%
The Tyrconnell is a historic brand of Irish whiskey that has been revived by the Cooley Distillery owned by Beam Suntory. The brand was previously owned by the Watt Distillery, which (according to the company) dates back to 1762. The Tyrconnell was their flagship brand, and was named after a racehorse owned by Andrew Alexander Watt. The horse was a chestnut colt that won at 100 to 1 odds in 1876 in the Irish horse race called The National Produce Stakes. A horse race is depicted on the label.
"As a double distilled, single malt, The Tyrconnell® occupies a territory all its own. The double distillation process lets The Tyrconnell ® retain the character of its origin, creating an end product with a delicate flavor that lives alongside a creamy and viscous profile. The Tyrconnell® Single Malt puts a great pressure on those who create it, as every decision between barley selection and bottling will reveal itself in the flavor profile. The Tyrconnell® overcomes these challenges with flying colors, with a robust flavor profile built on a backbone of citrus and honey flavors. In the spirit of the unlikely champion that became its namesake, The Tyrconnell® is a whiskey made by those who are not afraid to bravely defy the odds."
The Tyrconnell Single Malt is made from 100% malted barley, it's double distilled and then aged in ex-bourbon casks.
Nose: Very bright and floral. Citrus fruits. Lemon zest, orange and grapefruit. Lots of vanilla, toffee and caramel. A very simple but great nose. Very beginner friendly.
Taste: Smooth and balanced. Oily. Great mouthfeel for 43%. Floral, grassy. Lots of vanilla alongside caramel. Citrus fruits, Green apple, pears and apricots. Tastes great for such a cheap whiskey.
Finish: Medium. Sweet and fruity. A little hint of oak at the back. Very friendly.
Overall I think this is a great whisky for the asking price of 25-30 euros. It's very beginner friendly and it's very smooth. I would even pour from this to people who don't usually drink whiskey. Great price per value and an actual good whiskey. 84 / 100
The Whistler Bodega Cask (Boann Distillery) - Natural Color, Non-chill filtered, 46%
Boann Distillery is a family company, born and believed in by Patrick and Marie Cooney, along with their family; Sally-Anne, Celestine, Peter, Patrick and James.
With a combined wealth of experience, including forty years in the Irish drinks industry building up the Gleeson Group from a small independent bottler to a company with a turnover in excess of €300 million per annum, the Cooney family understands what it takes to create successful, premium brands.
The Whistler 5 Year Old Bodega Cask Single Malt is a triple distilled whiskey that has been wholly matured in the finest Spanish Sherry Butts for its whole life. These butts were sourced from our partners in the famed Bodegas of Jerez de la Frontera.
Nose: So let me take a minute and just say this. If it was given to me on a blind tasting I would have probably said that this is a single malt from the Speyside. Firstly heavy sherry aromas hit your nose. Very good very sweet. Macallan and GlenDronach comes to mind. The quality of their casks those very nice and gentle scents. Raisins dipped in milk chocolate. Red berries and strong malt notes. Extremely sweet.
Taste: The palate is better and more complex than the nose. Very full bodied and smooth. Again raisins with milk chocolate followed my cinnamon, allspice and some white pepper. Some fresh wood notes with red berries and caramelized red apples.
Finish: Medium-long. Very sweet. Lots of chocolate on the finish with raisins. Wood notes.
Overall I love it. Complex for a 5 year old whiskey, very sweet, round and pleasant. I'd recommend.
Waterford The Cuvée 1.1 - Natural Color, Non-chill filtered, 50%
Waterford has such a complex operation system, that it's almost impossible to write a short article about it. I am not going to say much about it, I rather would like you to CLICK HERE and read their page. They explain everything there very well.
In short their owner and CEO Mark Reynier is taking the concept of wine and térroir. They bring in barley from different farms all around from Ireland with different soils. They use a humongous amount of different casks from France and Spain. This concept is new to whisk(e)y. Their whiskey comes in at 50%, double distilled, natural color and non-chill filtered.
"The vineyard inspiration behind our vision begins with our founder, Mark Reynier, who has over four decades of experience in the industry, from owning a Grand Cru vineyard in Burgundy, to being a wine importer and merchant in London; then in 2001 came the resurrection of the iconic Bruichladdich Distillery on Islay, where he established the Botanist Gin, Port Charlotte and Octomore single malts.
It wasn't until he founded Waterford Distillery in 2016, in the South East of Ireland – home to the perfect growing conditions for producing the world's finest barley – that the principles such as terroir, biodynamics and cuvées could be firmly and rigorously applied to barley and whisky.
Ours is an idea 40 years in the making."
"Our Cuvée Concepts are where the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. Matured Single Farm Origins, each extolling the precision of a single terroir, layered together with ultimate creativity, to become our most complex and harmonious single malts. The apogees of our radical philosophies; our veritable raison d'être."
"Terroir-driven Irish whisky producer Waterford Distillery has bottled its definitive, flagship single malt – The Cuvée – due to be released worldwide this autumn. Inspired by Bordeaux's greatest chateaux, Waterford Distillery has applied the same methodology to create the ultimate in whisky flavour complexity, a genuine innovation for the spirits industry, called The Cuvée. 25 totally unique Waterford Single Farm Origin whiskies, drawn from distinct terroirs of Southern Ireland, have been married together to create a layered, profound and compelling taste experience."
Quite an interesting whiskey, I picked it up because I was recommended to do so in my favorite store near me. First It was very strange to me because there was nothing I could compare it to. Then I watched their video and read almost everything on their site about this bottle and started understanding the bottle as a whole.
I can say that it is a nice project they are doing and I wish them good luck on their road, I will be supporting and tasting!
Nose: Very barley dominant (which is lovely), breadcrust, biscuits, banana, red apples, pear, mint and a bit of coffee maybe.
Taste: Sharp, white pepper, oily, grapefruit, cherries, a tiny bit of dried dark fruits, herbs and orange/lemon zest.
Finish: Peppery, spicy, quite long and it lingers with some sweetness.
Overall I like the concept, like the spirit driven influence keep up the great work. 86 / 100
Waterford Organic Gaia 2.1 - Natural Color, Non-chill filtered, 50%
This whiskey is part of Wateford's Arcadian Farm Origin series. "Our Arcadian Farm Origin represents our otherworldly garden of delights where we sought out maverick farmers, inspirational growers, iconoclasts whose ethos & way of life respects the land in the pursuit of pure flavours over yield imperatives. It includes Organic, Biodynamic, Heritage & Peated whiskies."
"For the first time we dip into a new vintage: the 2016 organic harvest. Once again Gaia, neopagan goddess & a personification of Mother Earth herself, is our standard bearer for the celebration of this vibrant new edition of Ireland's only whisky to be distilled from organic Irish barley."
CASK COMPOSITION:
39% - FIRST FILL U.S (Bourbon barrels from Heaven Hill distillery)
17% - VIRGIN U.S. (American virgin white oak casks)
19% - PREMIUM FRENCH (Margaux, Château Lafite Rothschild wine casks)
25% - VIN DOUX NATUREL (Marsala, Port casks)
Nose: Lemon peels, pears, green apples, milk chocolate, freshly baked bread, biscuits, soil, freshly cut grass, milk note.
Taste: Explosion of flavors, very spicy, white pepper, cherries, definitely some wine notes, red berries, lemon zest, some salt in there, peanuts, fresh fruits salad (pears, apples, peaches).
Finish: Spicy and sweet from the wine casks, quite long, mouth-watering.
Overall I think this is an awesome expression. It could definitely use a bit more years for maturation but it's actually doesn't taste too young. The cask usage is great again and the liquid is very barley forward. I recommend it. 87 / 100
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Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed. To many more. Sláinte.