Connemara Original Peated Single Malt

Lightly smoky and peaty, yet smooth. Honey, hazelnut, and oak taste. Light spice and vanilla notes. Quite sweet with long smoky finish. Warm and easy to drink.

A grand intro to peated whiskeys. Sweet fruits followed by a Smokey biscuit finish.

Rating: 15/23 Peat is unusual for Ireland. Let's see how it is. N: I get some smoked meat here that reminds me of Lagavulin a bit. There's also some oiliness and a bit of sweetness that has a hint of caramel and some fruit (orange, apple, and faint strawberry) along with a dash of nose. The balance is a tad questionable and it's light, but it's still a fine nose. P: Immediately, I get some nice richness, fullness, and complexity. It's quite enjoyable and tastes decently old while also being smooth. The distiller's edition has more of an alcohol bite and less richness from the peat (which isn't particularly aggressive, even in this), but it also has more sherry fruit and sweetness. I get some oily smoked meat along with peppery spice, fruit (apple with a little orange and perhaps a hint of strawberry), a bit of malty richness, a dash of sweet cereal, hay, and a bit of brine. It doesn't have a bunch of mineral or cereal flavors, though It's still a somewhat mild palate, sort of reminding me how something like Springbank 10 compares with a bolder dram like Highland Park 18. The balance is surprisingly good actually and the complexity is intriguing. F: The smoke, oil, hay, brine, and pepper linger the longest. I like the palate better, but it's a fine finish. that lasts a while. I wasn't entirely sure what to expect here, though I did think that it would likely be mild. Despite being a bit weak, I really appreciate the balance and complexity. There aren't any flavors that amaze me, but there's no sulfur or any other bad flavor sticking out either. There is that Irish oiliness, but it's balanced quite well in here, sort of like the protagonist of The Irish Rovers' The Orange And The Green balancing Irish oil and Scottish peat (PSA: that is not what that song is actually about). I'd love to try an older and/or substantially higher proof offering. Talisker DE is initially blander, but quickly shows that is is much more mature and complex. Yellow Spot demonstrates similar subtlety to this, but it also shows more maturity with some interesting flavors that add elegance. Even Aberlour 12 has a bit more maturity than this does and Amrut Peated - despite being quite young - has a more deliberate flavor to it that makes it much better. After all of that, this is kind of weak with substantial youth. It is still quite smooth though and doesn't have any especially bad flavor, so depending on its price I might decide it's worth picking up. This is one of better Irish whiskies I've tried for sure. There is no doubt in my mind that it's at least a 12, but I can't imagine it surpassing a 16 either. I'm really thinking that it's in the 14 to 15 range and I'm a bit torn. Redbreast 12 (which I gave a 16) is a bit better, but this holds up surprisingly well (though it is a totally different profile). I think I have to go with 15. This strikes me as a good low-budget alternative to Springbank 10, Talisker 10, and perhaps Lagavulin 16. Well, it isn't that much cheaper than Talisker 10. At $40, it's pushing it, but this is still a solid dram and I wouldn't feel bad if I paid $40 for it. I might just upgrade to the 12 for $65-70 or the CS for $75-80.

Notes: •Nose: Amazing! Slight smoke, vanilla, honey and almond, floral •Palate: soft, silky, buttery toasted biscuit with burnt ends, heavy toasted almond and burnt honey, heather, burnt leather, distant campfire and light peat. •Finish: short, soft, no burn, lifts off gently leaving behind vanilla and light smoke. ================================ Conclusion: A fine lightly peated Irish that has good character and is different from the normal dram. A good introduction into light peat funk.

I really like the peat smoke on the nose. I'm not an expert but there is a multitude of smells and flavors...floral, vanilla, sweet but not too sweet. It also has a nice lingering finish not unlike a good Scotch.