“Send in the virgins!” cask finished whiskey. Reading more about this and this is more than the than a Hungarian finish. Take their Irish blend, 75/5 + 20 (Grain and malted) plus 20 North Ireland malted. Starts in ex-bourbon casks, then finished is Sherry butts. Blended with another Irish single malt aged in ex-bourbon. All this is finally finished in Virgin Hungarian Oak. A lot of blending and mixing; hence the experiment. Does all that experimentation over ten years produce an outstanding or worthwhile whiskey? I don’t know yet. As I was prefacing this tasting with these words, the pour has been opening. A gentle fruity sweetness on the nose. Apple crumb pie with a dusting of cinnamon. A La mode vanilla bean ice cream right alongside. Ethanol vapors do obscure the nice aroma. Toasted coconut and orange (but that artificial type like a lollipop or Italian ice), and fresh pears. Earthy, worn leather. Deep in the recesses is cedar grilling wraps and honey drizzle. Unlike the gentle aroma, the palate is harsh and biting because of the strength at 52.5%. That artificial orange coats the palate with cinnamon and clove. I struggle to extract other flavors as it may need water to loosen up. Well, water definitely softens the raw bite and becomes a bit more approachable. Caramel apples, burnt marshmallows, grilled pears, walnuts. Towards the fade into the finish, maraschino cherries flavor appears, almost out of nowhere. It offers a nice little twist. That artificial orange transforms to oranges (like the common pub Old Fashioned with the muddled orange and cherry) as it forms finishes. Oak, charcoal and back to that earthy leather. A nice balanced finish that you hope won’t fade quickly and rewardingly is doesn’t. The nose is one of the better noses. The cask strength, raw whiskey shields the hidden flavors. Water really does this a favor. An un-Irish Irish whiskey. I do get a sense that this whiskey is restrained and holds more flavor that needs to be pushed out. Maybe it’s more time finishing needed. Or maybe it’s just me unable to identify those other flavors. But what I can taste or detect is good, with a touch of water. Thanks @PBMichiganWolverine for the generous sample. [86/100][Tasted: 9/16/22]