Tastes

This... is not an Irish. I'm not sure WHAT it is, but it's nothing like any of the others I've had in the past. Sometimes that's a good thing, but not this time. Initial taste reminds me of the taste of wet cardboard (c'mon, we were all children at some point!), and that moves to a metallic finish like licking pennies (C'MON, you know what I mean) with a bit of a peppery hint. It's not enjoyable at all. Swish it around a bit in your mouth and it gets only slightly better. But cold or room temp, this is nothing great. I had high hopes from other reviews but... meh. It reminds me more of a mediocre bourbon with a bit of rye mixed in (think Bulleit) but I'd take that over West Cork. For a better Irish in this price range, I'd pick Powers Gold Label, and I'm not even a fan of that. Pick up a Tyrconnell or a bottle of The Sexton, similar pricing but way more taste and interest.

A bit bland but not offensive. I haven't tried the standard Quiet Man offering yet so I can't compare. Seems similar to Slane but smoother. Heavy on tropical fruit notes like mango and apricot, fades quickly on the palate. Better on the nose. Might buy again but price is high for Irish.

This one is always fun, trying to suss out differences from bottle to bottle. At 50 ABV it's definitely a bit hot but not rocket fuel hot; it's just so interesting you'll treat the heat like a good hot sauce. A whiff of smoke doesn't detract from the sweetness. Too bad Laddie has become so expensive in the US this year, or more people would definitely enjoy it. I'm finding myself picking it up more frequently though. Worth it as a gateway drink for new whisky drinkers looking to branch out from the big names!

At 100 proof, quite strong taken neat. Probably should have dropped in a cube. Very buttery palate, smooth but with a heavy corn and oak presentation. I was picking up slight leather at first, but it was muddled with a weird plastic taste, almost chemical. Butter, maybe light pecan, but what was missing was that vanilla flavor I love in bourbon. I picked this up after seeing it won the San Francisco World Spirits Competition double-gold, but now I wish I had gone with my gut and picked up the Four Roses I had my eye on. This is, for me, a 2.5 star bourbon, but I'll round it up instead of down. Probably will be a mixer for me.