Irish whiskey tasting, The Oak Barrel, Sydney, 7 Feb 2019. Whisky #1 Nose: Floral, sweet toasted cereal, a deep, musky perfume note like candied violets. There’s also a miniscule hint of smoke (or barrel char) and some caramel. Palate: Soft arrival. Sweet and creamy cereal and malt flavours with a little honey or thinned treacle (maybe butterscotch?). There is hardly any development – what you see at the entry is what you get throughout, but it is pleasant and has a rich texture. Finish: Medium/short. Sweet cereal aftertaste. A well-constructed and enjoyable mid-shelf whiskey that is being sourced from Cooley (Slane distillery is in production but has yet to release its own spirit (as at early 2019). Very easy to drink and fairly priced – quality-wise it could be compared to Johnnie Walker Double Black or Bushmills Black Bush. It has a full, sweet and rounded profile when tasted in isolation but in comparison to better Irish whiskies it shows up as being a little brittle and shallow. It's average, but good average, and value for money. “Average” : 78/100 (2.75 stars)