Tastes

Cask #49. I think the ABV was 62.2%. Less of a hot mess than 48 was, some floral notes than make me think Clynelish or something. Thick, caramel mouthfeel. Some heat on the finish

Pear, sawdust on the nose. Palate is sweet, custardy, with some caramel, but it still has a distinctly Irish character. Pretty outstanding stuff.

The nose has berries, caramel, toffee, very easy on the senses, it's a thing of beauty. Palate starts out with some stewed pear, honey, hint of black tea, with a finish that brings in some smoke, barley, a little ethanol. Quite a nice Irish, and one that beats most of the Spots in my view.

The nose is promising, offering honeysuckle, oak, and caramel. Palate isn't even close to living up to it, with some bitter oak, honey, grass, and some ethanol heat despite a very watery mouthfeel. Doesn't make me want to give Japanese whiskey a closer look, especially considering the prices.

After wondering for so long how they justify charging around $300/bottle for a 7 year aged Irish whiskey, I finally had a chance to try a pour at a bar. Feel in love with the nose immediately. Vanilla, caramel, honey, custard, stone fruit, not a hint of ethanol. The palate is rich, with some chocolate, espresso, prune, with a long peppery finish with a bit of cinnamon and ethanol. I still think the price is a bit steep, but it might be my favorite Spot (slightly edges out Gold Spot, haven't tried Red Spot yet).

Much fruitier nose than the Madeira cask. Just a hint of iodine and sea spray. Earthy palate, dark fruit, smoke and salinity on the finish. Definitely sweeter than the Madeira cask, but not nearly as overwhelming as the PX cairdeas.

Nose has some stone fruit, herbs, and a waft of ocean air. The palate is a little earthy, some stone fruit, white grapes, and decidedly on the dry side. The saline notes from the nose arrive on the finish, accompanied by a light bitterness. This might be my favorite Cairdeas I've had this far (we'll find out soon if the Triple Wood exceeds it).

Rum is dominant on the nose, with some molasses and banana. The palate has the signature funk, with some syrup, faint smoke, big body and a little bit of ethanol burn on the finish despite just being 50.8% abv. The first fill demerara rum barrel is dominant here, but it works really well with the distillate. It's a beautiful thing, and would probably be legendary if it aged a few more years. This was a happy accident, as it was labeled "Springbank 15 cask strength", which I assumed was Sherry. They were out of the rum cask 15, and offered this and standard 15 as alternatives. Saw that it was a single cask and demerara rum, immediately said "I'll have that one."

Rich, fruity nose, fruit cake, prune. Palate has dark fruit, spice, a little on the sweet side, medium body. The smoke arrives on the finish, and melds quite well with the port wood.. First OB Ardmore I've had, and it's solid.