Knappogue Castle 14 Year Twin Wood

The flavors are a little different, but my experience of this is pretty similar to the tasting I had of Powers 12 year, in that it has a great nose and finish, but the palate is a let-down. Here we have fresh cut Granny Smith apple, tropical fruit, sugar cookie, and something floral on the nose. The palate is mostly vanilla, maybe a little grassy and thin feeling, but then the finish comes back with the fruit, caramel, and some nice oaky spice. The higher-than-normal proof for an Irish is appreciated most on the finish. Overall not bad, but wish it had more flavor on the palate. The finish keeps making me think this is better than it is, but then I have another sip and am underwhelmed again by the palate. Still, probably a decent value at $50 for a 14 year old single malt Irish whiskey, and bottled at 46%. Update: nearing bottle kill, I’m giving this a bump. It emptied itself pretty quickly. Good Irish and good value.

If your breadth of Irish goes beyond the standard offerings from Jameson and Bushmills, you will instantly recognize this as a kindred spirit on both the nose and palate. Cut apples, mashed grapes, and a bit of bitter chocolate powder make for an interesting aroma, provided you don’t nose deeply enough to get the ethanol. Palate is same song, second verse, except there’s no escaping the burn here; rich, full, sweet and smooth, and then suddenly whamo! Burn. It’s not a cask-strength burn or any such, but it definitely colors the entire experience, as though I’m offended that something so smooth and sweet could suddenly turn bitter and hot. And to me it’s more of an unrefined hot rather than a ‘duh, this is alcohol and alcohol sometimes burns’ kind of hot. As if 14 years wasn’t enough and it could use just a few more. That burn takes me all the way to the finish, which briefly flashes orchard sweet again before turning green-apple sour and fading to a clean lidocaine tingle that lasts several minutes. Also note that time and air are not friendly to this, washing out the good flavors and leaving more of the burn. It is certainly not bad, but it’s also a little disappointing because at $70, it’s not really distinguishable from most any Irish in the $40 and up range.

Slightly fruity on the nose. Sweet and bitter mix in the taste

The nose is oily and fruity. The palette is bright and sweet with floral notes. The finish is smooth and slightly bitter.

Excellent whiskey!