This... is not an Irish. I'm not sure WHAT it is, but it's nothing like any of the others I've had in the past. Sometimes that's a good thing, but not this time. Initial taste reminds me of the taste of wet cardboard (c'mon, we were all children at some point!), and that moves to a metallic finish like licking pennies (C'MON, you know what I mean) with a bit of a peppery hint. It's not enjoyable at all. Swish it around a bit in your mouth and it gets only slightly better. But cold or room temp, this is nothing great. I had high hopes from other reviews but... meh. It reminds me more of a mediocre bourbon with a bit of rye mixed in (think Bulleit) but I'd take that over West Cork. For a better Irish in this price range, I'd pick Powers Gold Label, and I'm not even a fan of that. Pick up a Tyrconnell or a bottle of The Sexton, similar pricing but way more taste and interest.