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Waterford Peated Fenniscourt 1.1
Distiller Score 85
The peat aroma is more earthy and dried herbs rather than mossy and briny. There's some rubber in there as well as some toasted oak and moderate intensity of golden raisins and banana. The palate brings forth some nutty barley and a tangy, light sweetness. The whisky feels slightly slick on the palate and the peat smoke surrounds the whisky with the underlying fruit note peaking its head through. The mix use of barrels is nice here as the barrel spices come through without too much vanilla or dried fruits. It's quite balanced given its relative youthfulness and it shows quite a bit of variety for the drinker to enjoy on the daily.
Reviewed by Stephanie Moreno
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Teeling Single Cask Single Malt Oloroso Finish
Distiller Score 90
The nose offers big spice, with nuttiness, dark red fruits, and toffee, showcasing a mix of its bourbon and sherry cask heritage. More of the same on the palate, with spicy and peppery notes leading the charge in front of vanilla, nuts, and honey. A big, bold finish resonates with spicy and woody notes, backed up by sherry and raisin.
Reviewed by Jake Emen
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Tyrconnell 10 Year Madeira Cask Finish
Distiller Score 91
The wine finish has provided for a salty and fruit filled nose with pears and baked apples. The palate is slick with sweet fruit and chewy malt and the finish is filled with cinnamon.
Reviewed by Stephanie Moreno
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Redbreast 15 Year
Distiller Score 88
The nose is still filled with toast and honey, but this time there is a lemon bitterness as well. The wood spices also speak a little louder in the 15 year than in the 12 year with a pleasant bite at the finish.
Reviewed by Stephanie Moreno
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Bushmills 16 Year Single Malt
Distiller Score 92
The fragrance on the nose is quite intense with dried fruit and nuts due to the wine finishes on most of the whiskey. Oatmeal raisin cookies, nuts, a dose of dark chocolate, these are all presented on a silver platter. There is an amiable amount of char smoke throughout the dram.
Reviewed by Stephanie Moreno
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Writers' Tears Cask Strength (2014 Release)
Distiller Score 88
The aroma is filled with toasted malt, barrel spices, and a hint of dark chocolate. The palate is creamy and has tastes of dark honey, beef jerky, and shortbread cookies. The sweet and savory notes play nicely off each other with the finish warming and lengthy.
Reviewed by Stephanie Moreno
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Waterford Organic Gaia Edition 1.1
Distiller Score 90
The barley and cereal notes are omnipresent, always lurking. Hints of droopy honey enhance the sweet floral notes, but vanilla, orange zest, mush bananas and raw sugar stand out as well. The palate is thick, oily and spicy. A fair amount of oak and heat, with cloves and pepper vying for attention. Cherries, quinces, pear skin and dried apricots restore the balance. Another well-rounded, impressive showing from Waterford.
Reviewed by Thijs Klaverstijn
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Teeling The Revival 15 Year Single Malt (Volume I)
Distiller Score 93
The citrus and orchard fruits emit from the glass from a distance. As you get into tasting it, those fruit flavors move into tropical fruits notes like mango and papaya. This all said, the whiskey isn't terribly sweet, but rather is on the tart side. The toasty wood spices mingle really well with the fruit and something nearing a flavor of fresh butter. Spend some time with this one because it's going to stay with you, like it or not. (Spoiler alert--you're gonna like it).
Reviewed by Stephanie Moreno
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A Drop of the Irish Sherry Cask Finish (Blackadder)
Distiller Score 88
The first whiff of this whiskey will have you wondering if this is really an Irish spirit. Sweet tobacco and toffee take the reins to guide you in. The first sip is punchy, full of rich spiciness, charred wood, and that beautiful sherry finish. It finishes strong with sea salt and smoky dark chocolate. Blackadder has bottled a spirit for the complex whiskey lover to pick apart.
Reviewed by Nicole Gilbert
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Knappogue Castle 16 Year Sherry Cask Finished
Distiller Score 87
The nose clues us in on the sherry barrels with nutty and raisin-y aromas with an almost rancio, rummy note as well. The fruit stays with you on the palate along with maple syrup, lemon flavored tea, and coffee grounds. The whiskey finishes dry and bitter, but has a sufficient length.
Reviewed by Stephanie Moreno
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Bushmills 21 Year Single Malt
Distiller Score 97
As Veruca Salt would say, "I want it now!" With the intensity of the sweet fruit and chocolate notes on the nose, could you blame her? The trail mix filled dram also has deep malt flavors with the texture creamy, not cloying. Towards the finish, the whiskey becomes dry and spicy. A comparable Scotch whisky would be almost double the price so snatch up what you can
Reviewed by Stephanie Moreno
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Waterford The Cuvée
Distiller Score 91
The nose offers black cherry vanilla ice cream, along with beeswax, heather, butterscotch, and lemon oleo saccharum. The palate showcases swirls of flavor, interweaving milk chocolate, clover honey, and hay, with bright pops of citrus, blackberries, and a peppery undercurrent. The finish is lengthy, with sweet orange creamsicle, Christmas spice, tart lingonberries, and tannic oak.
Reviewed by Jake Emen