Tastes

Very interesting. This is meant to be placed in the freezer and then sipped at ice cold temp. So naturally, I first tried it at room temp, as is. It’s unmistakably a Dalwhinnie. There’s still that gentle, balanced palate with crisp apple, fruits and honey, plus a touch of peat smoke - the notes that the distillery is known for. It reminds me an awful lot of the classic 15, but with a few noticable changes. The difference here is in two places. On the nose, I think there’s a lighter fruitiness that I would maybe liken to apricot. I don’t believe it suffers much ar all in comparison to 15 in this regard. However, on the palate, it’s less balanced. A hint of spice and bitterness jumps up, and this detracts somewhat from the honeyed, crisp-apple finish that we get on the 15. In my opinion, this does diminish the palate/finish just a touch, but the quality is still well above average. Now, to try it as the distiller’s intended, after a long stay in the freezer…. With the newfound frigidity, not much has changed on the taste front (which is unsurprising because that’s not how taste really works), although I did notice a slight dissipation of the bitterness on the finish as it’s overpowered by the chill. Beyond that, I can definitely say that the flavor profile plays out nicely at the low temp. The whiskey works either way, whether you drink it chilled or at room temp. But I have to say (and I could just be a hapless victim of the marketing) I think I do prefer it chilled as the distillers suggest. Altogether, it may fall a hair short of the 15, but I think this is a really cool offering from an amazing distillery. Definitely worth a try.

I wanted to like this, especiall at that price point, but I must admit I think this is just a bad whiskey. The nose gives me little more than fermented barley, and the palate is unremarkable with a strange and somewhat unpleasant finish. I will say, its not a difficult drink, and it works well in cocktails, but its rare that I find an Irish whiskey that turns me off this much. I suppose I may be being a touch harsh, but by Irish standards, suffice to say you can find much much better, even at the low price point.

The underlying notes of vanilla, honey, nuts, and light fruits are very similar to the Dalwhinnie 15. But there are a few key differences. First, smoke is slightly more subtle than the 15 (where it’s already pretty subdued). On the 2005 DE, the smoke is barely even perceptible on the nose. It really only shows up on the finish, and even that is more dominated by the sweet notes. There’s also some much more vibrant fruit across the palate, which is almost certainly due to the time spent in Oloroso casks. Lastly, there’s a notable sweetness on the nose that’s almost candy-like. I wouldn’t say it persists, but it definitely pops on the first whiff. I will say I can’t come to a clear conclusion on which I like more, the DE or the 15. I think it really just comes down to how much smoke I’m in the mood for.

A few things jump out here when you compare this to the standard Tullamore. First and (without a doubt) foremost is the texture. The body on this whiskey is notably creamy, especially when compared to the original. It’s to the benefit of the palate too, because the subtle viscosity allows more time for the flavors to reveal themselves. That’s where the second thing jumps out, and it’s that striking chocolate note. That note is nowhere to be found in the original. Here, its very prominent, but it does share the stage with a noticeable increase in sherry spice, which also lends itself to make the nose more vibrant (still soft and subdued though). Overall, I have to give this whiskey points because it is a notable improvement on its younger brother. There are definitely better Irish whiskies out there, but the craftsmanship worked well here.

The “original triple blend Irish whiskey” certainly does earn its name, functioning as a low-cost standard by which to judge most other Irish blends. All three spirits seem to lend some flavor, but not tons. At the core of both the nose and palate is that very traditional sweet, bready quality that Irish blends so often have. It’s accompanied by suuuper subtle fruit notes, and the sherry casks lend an ever so gentle spice to it. These flavors play together so smoothly that none of them really jump out, and you’d be easily forgiven for missing a note or two. To sum it up, its wickedly easy to drink, and very balanced, but not the liveliest whiskey you’ll ever try. It’s not exceptionally memorable, but it is smooth as butter and versatile. Which is why, for $25, you might as well keep this on hand for mixers, shots, and maybe the occasional sip. (sidenote: plays realllly nice with ginger ale if that’s your thing.)

This whisky is strange, in that it has very little flavor in general. The nose has an almost molasses-like sweetness, but then the palate is just…empty. It’s worth noting this whisky is as cheap as it gets. The best use for it would be to add a little razzle dazzle to a cup of coffee, or a little strength to your cocktail. But as a straight drink, the flavor profile of this could be summed up with the word neutral.

To me, honey is the most dense note on this palate. Its a saturated sweetness up front on the nose that persists all the way through the finish. Along the way, other notes show up in smaller waves. Some crisp fruits appear on the palate but not so much on the nose. Theres a mild spice on the finish as well. Its not the most interesting of the GoT series, nor the most interesting Cardhu. But its very drinkable, especially if you have a bit of a sweet tooth (I do not.)