I've heard these guys are doing some good things, so I figured I'd start with their entry level offering too see what it's all about. Nose: Fruit heavy. Banana and red grape. There are also some tangy, citrus notes of lemon, grapefruit, and orange. These dissipate the longer it sits. Vanilla, shortbread cookie, tart, and toffee are also present. There is another note that I can only describe as "toasted," and it's quite nice. I get a bit of that metallic note that I commonly find with young Irish whiskies. Still a good nose though. Palate: Some basic toffee, shortbread cookie, cereal, and vanilla notes. There's also some respectable heat to this one. Very malty and grassy. Oak is present as well. It seems like a very basic Irish at a glance. But if you look had enough you'll find sugar cane and molasses, evidence that this of the rum cask. More of the metallic note here, but not enough to tarnish what is otherwise a solid sip. Overall, it's light, but it's got just enough going on to distinguish itself from the herd. Finish: And then the heat hits. This one waits till the finish to let you know that it's 46 percent, which is relatively high in the Irish category. Big time spice. Cinnamon and red pepper. Long finish. Slightly metallic once again, but nothing excessive. This is a unique Irish whiskey. The rum cask works well here, and I really appreciate the boost in ABV. It's solid from start to finish, though I'd say the nose stands out just a bit more. I was hovering between a 3.5 and 3.75. It was the metallic notes that caused me to choose the former. It's not a deal breaker, but I think this blend could use a higher percentage of older juice. If you're into Irish, this is definitely worth a try. And if you're looking to get into the genre, this is one of the more respectable entry level bottlings out there. It's worth the $40 (though I think it'd be reasonable to drop it $35) and it's good enough to warrant exploration of their higher end expressions.