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Teeling Platinum Reserve 30 Year Single Malt
Distiller Score 97
Enticing vanilla breaks ground first on the nose, backed up by toffee, dry oak, and spice. The palate offers light honey and raisin, more oak and spice, and a steady dose of vanillins, with a touch of saltiness lurking in the back. A long, smooth finish lingers leisurely for minutes as various notes continue to meander and circle around, offering even more time to savor what is an absolutely lovely whiskey.
Reviewed by Jake Emen
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Redbreast 27 Year
Distiller Score 96
This is an incredible single pot still whiskey from Redbreast. It opens with chestnut, vanilla, and a hint of cinnamon; it feels deceptively light at first, but then the port finish comes through with an unmistakably fruity, jammy note reminiscent of red currants. This is a spicy, high-proof expression, and a few drops of water can help open it up. However one drinks it, it's a superb whiskey.
Reviewed by Jacob Grier
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Teeling Gold Reserve 26 Year Single Malt
Distiller Score 92
Find light tropical fruits on the nose, along with grapes, and whiffs of smoke. This is an exceedingly easy-drinking dram that could be knocked back in rapid succession. The palate offers cereal grain, honey, figs, light toffee, and more grapes and tropical fruits. The finish throws in a surprise with a burst of spicy wood.
Reviewed by Jake Emen
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Redbreast 21 Year
Distiller Score 96
The more you nose and taste this whiskey, the more aromas and tastes you find. For starters, honey, ripe pears, hay, and breakfast cereal are revealed. The tasting profile is even more layered with juicy summer peaches, fresh barley, and wood spices. It is rich and chewy and finishes with a spice-filled aftertaste. Try to resist consuming the whiskey quickly; it is best enjoyed slow and steady.
Reviewed by Stephanie Moreno
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The Irishman Cask Strength (2013 Release)
Distiller Score 90
Often times if the proof on a whiskey is higher than the standard 80, the aroma is a bit muted, but that isn't the case here. Full of honey, apple skins, and wood spices these smells entice you to dive right in. There is a nice fullness to the whiskey and it slides right down. No need to add water.
Reviewed by Stephanie Moreno
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Jameson Rarest Vintage Reserve (2009 Release)
Distiller Score 85
The nose offers up big sweet fruit aromas of black plums, honeydew melons and nutty banana bread with underlying spicy notes of clove, nutmeg, warm cinnamon, and fennel fronds. On the palate, this mildly sweet whiskey displays notable woody characteristics, ripe red berries, caramelized bananas, and a decadent fudgy dark chocolate. This is followed by an exquisitely long finish bouncing back from grain to fruit and spice.
Reviewed by Ryan Conklin
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Midleton Dair Ghaelach Grinsell's Wood
Distiller Score 92
This whiskey has a fetching dawn amber color with smoke, caramel, and red apple aromas wafting from the glass. The palate is deeply concentrated with more orchard and tropical fruits mixed with vanilla, toffee, and honey. There's quite a bit of toast on the finish with a charcoal smoke, burning hay, and sesame seed under-taste. This dram definitely benefits from a drop or two of water or an ice shaving to open it up to fully appreciate its nuances.
Reviewed by Amanda Schuster
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Midleton Barry Crockett Legacy
Distiller Score 93
In classic Irish fashion, this whiskey introduces itself with floral notes on the nose, but where aromas of Jameson and Redbreast might be described as chamber music, Legacy’s is sheer symphony —a richer rendition of the bouquet we expect from an Irish whiskey. Within that bouquet are tones of cinnamon, vanilla and dense oak, but with a sip, a dazzling complexity of mandarin orange, barley spice, honeyed heather and toasted grain unfurl, leaving a roasty finish lingering in its wake. This is truly a composition only a master could create.
Reviewed by Liza Weisstuch
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Bushmills 29 Year The Rare Casks Pedro Ximenez Cask Single Malt
Distiller Score 95
Gorgeous nose filled with dark, dried fruits like raisins, dates, and figs, but there's also some brighter red fruits in the mix as well. Hazelnuts and a fair amount of oak add to the nose. It's fairly full and while those dark fruits come through again, the whiskey isn't as sweet as that sounds. Warming oak and winter spices come throughout the whiskey as well. The grain notes aren't completely covered up as the nutty barley notes peak through. A whiskey destined to be served as an after dinner treat (serve it with a creamy blue cheese if you're bold enough). Wouldn't add more than a splash of water to your glass, if anything at all. Gift worthy, indeed.
Reviewed by Stephanie Moreno
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Teeling 32 Year Purple Muscat Finish
Distiller Score 92
Butterscotch leads on the nose, followed by pears drizzled with honey, molasses, and gooey fudge. The palate is bold and rich, with cacao nibs, dark chocolate, barrel char, and spicy tannic oak, as well as tart cherries and dark berries. On a lengthy finish, find toffee, pecans, peanut brittle, and grape jelly, with final notes of spearmint and polish.
Reviewed by Jake Emen
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The Dublin Liberties Keeper's Coin 16 Year
Distiller Score 89
Pedro Ximinez casks give this single malt an exceptionally rich flavor, bringing forth notes of date, raisin, vanilla, and currant jam. Velvety and luxurious on the tongue, it finishes silkily sweet with a hint of dark chocolate. Keeper's Coin would make an excellent after dinner dram.
Reviewed by Jacob Grier
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Teeling 1991 Vintage Reserve 24 Year Single Malt
Distiller Score 93
Exotic fruits appear on the nose, along with hints of pastries like apple crumble and coconut flan. Also on the nose you'll find some pleasant nutty aromas, red fruits, candied figs, and subtle oaky notes. On the palate, the fruits kick in with mango, peaches and pineapple making it a real bowl of punch. The smokiness, or rather the peatiness, is now more obvious. The finish is medium length with lingering wood spices, earthy tones, and mango jam.
Reviewed by Anne-Sophie Bigot