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Clontarf 1014 Blended Irish Whiskey
Distiller Score 80
The entry is light, but sweet with vanilla and corn cast as the leading actors. Grains and apple juice play secondary roles. The bourbon cask influence comes through on the palate and accentuates the mostly corn based whiskey. It is slightly slick, soft, and sweet with the spice factor held to a minimum from beginning to end.
Reviewed by Stephanie Moreno
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Concannon Irish Whiskey
Distiller Score 77
With relatively low nasal character it is easily recognizable to be an Irish whiskey. The forefront of the palate is sweet like honey, but quickly develops in the herb department with fresh sage standing out, in particular. Even not ever tasting the Concannon wine itself one can easily tell a noticeably dry and fruity finish dominated by fresh honey and dried apricots.
Reviewed by Brock Schulte
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Feckin Irish Whiskey
Distiller Score 79
The whiskey is filled with sweet grain, some honey, and not a whole lot else. There is a fair amount of sweetness that helps to give the whiskey a creaminess, but let's face it, this is not meant to sip and savor. Order a beer and a shot and you'll be feckin alright.
Reviewed by Stephanie Moreno
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The Busker Triple Cask Triple Smooth
Distiller Score 86
The Busker is advertised as "triple smooth," and it is indeed a smooth whiskey. Thankfully, that doesn't mean boring. Though light on the palate, it delivers notes of vanilla, sherry, and orange peel, leaving a refreshing hint of green apple on the finish. For an easy to drink Irish blend at a good price, it's a very solid offering.
Reviewed by Jacob Grier
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Bushmills Red Bush
Distiller Score 85
The aroma is quite sweet on the Demerara sugar side. This mingles with light cereal grains and light barrel spices. The sweet palate continues on the medium-light bodied whiskey. A dash of vanilla comes out along with a touch of char smoke. There's just a bit of a peppery bite in the easy-to-drink (shoot) dram. Overall, a nice balance of sweet and spice. Finish is on the short side. Recommended served next to a glass of lager or a Half & Half.
Reviewed by Stephanie Moreno
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2 Gingers
Distiller Score 85
The nose is full of malt and honey along with lemon curd. The palate continues with a tangy quality and finishes just ever so slightly bitter. The wood spices come through right at the finish line. The double distillation may account for the fullness of the whiskey.
Reviewed by Stephanie Moreno
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Northcross Triple Wood Irish Whiskey
Distiller Score 88
The nose is akin to dried fruit tart as it's baking: rich vanilla, clove, dried dates, cinnamon, mixed with a faint whiff of blood orange. The palate matches in the form of a finished product, like a biscotti made with nuts and dried fruit and spread with orange icing. The finish is dense and chewy with more of that salty, baked dried fruit characteristic.
Reviewed by Amanda Schuster
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Proper No. 12 Irish Apple
Distiller Score 81
If you're purchasing this, you likely are a fan of apples — or at least of apple-flavored things. This definitely delivers on that promise. And if the green label didn't give you a clue, the apple flavors here are Granny Smith. Those tart and sweet apple flavors help keep this whiskey from going into dessert territory. Really hard to suss out the whiskey on the nose, but it provides the much needed backbone here in the form of honey wheat bread. Obviously, you'll be mixing this one. Make an Apple & Ginger or Apple & Cran and you'll be fine.
Reviewed by Stephanie Moreno
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Donegal Estates Irish Whiskey
Distiller Score 84
The nose is delicate, but pretty straightforward with aromas of buttered popcorn and banana bread; a hint of something a little musty follows. Odd. The whiskey tastes a little hot at first but then gives way to classic Irish cereal notes and then to tropical fruits, though nothing distinctive about the fruits. The finish is short and biscuity. This is definitely an entry-level Irish whiskey, and does that job reasonably well. Nothing memorable but nothing very offensive, either.
Reviewed by Matthew Sheinberg
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John L Sullivan Irish Whiskey
Distiller Score 77
This needs a little more muscle. The aroma is light and offers traditional Irish whiskey notes of green apples, bananas, porridge, and vanilla. The palate strives for the same profile but comes off weak and out of balance. The fruit and vanilla notes seem watered down and the sweetness artificial. A bump in alcohol would go a long way here.
Reviewed by Sam Davies
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Paddy's Irish Whiskey
Distiller Score 78
As you bring this Irish to your nose, light floral and nutty cereal grains will greet you with lots of fruit aromas, and hints of honey, spice and vanilla. One taste will reveal the mild, distinctive cereal maltiness, and delicately sweet floral flavors with subtle background notes of spiced vanilla and butterscotch. The finish is gentle, spicy and dry with more mellow malts, black pepper and a lingering woodiness reminiscent of its time in oak.
Reviewed by Ryan Conklin
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Jameson Cold Brew
Distiller Score 71
Coffee of course comes through first on the nose, with lots of citrus in the form of orange zest and lemon, along with creamy vanilla. The palate showcases a rather thin mouthfeel, with watered down iced coffee mixed with a faint whiskey backbone of vanillins and oak. The finish is abruptly short, with dark chocolate syrup and bitter coffee grounds.
Reviewed by Jake Emen