Tastes

Honey to light amber in appearance with thin tears. Very light on the nose, so light that I didn’t pick any discernible notes until 5 inches away. Minimal ethanol burn with a few sweeter notes on the front end of aromas. Honey notes transition into pear undertones with the most feint citrus notes. The way it hits the palate reminds me of a buttery Chardonnay. Remains relatively mild from start to finish on the palate with notes of allspice, vanilla, oak, maple, white pepper, and orange. It’s finish could be likened to some bedroom encounters; Quick and unfortunately uneventful. For the money, it’s about what I would expect and is better than other Irish drams in the price range. Would lend itself well to lighter cocktails but for anyone that drinks whisk(e)y neat or rocked, it might be a bit too easy to drink.

On the nose you get distinct notes of honey, toffee, and barley. Rather bright nose with a hint of maple. On the front of the tongue you get some spice and heat with touches of woodiness that follow on to the finish. Buttery transition into mid mouth with a mouthfeel that’s reminiscent of several highland malts made on shorter alembic stills. Starting light and finishing rather dense on the mouthfeel side of things. As you get to the finish, there begins to be a bit of slipperiness on the front of the tongue and you start to perceive the rye in the grain build. Tobacco, malt, rye, and vanilla are all notes you can pick up on a nice finish. Rather impressive for an American malt and certainly worth a pour.