bigwhitemike
Knappogue Castle 12 Year Special Barrel Release
Single Malt — Ireland
Reviewed
March 8, 2019 (edited July 11, 2019)
Bubbles single barrel store pick (Kansas City), probably 2017 or 2018 bottling.
Pale straw yellow. Thin in the glass, but leaves surprisingly long legs. Vegetal nose. Cut grass, bell pepper, and eucalyptus layered over a deep but muted foundation of lemon zest. A longer nosing reveals the that zest belongs to a very sweet scone... vanilla-orange glaze. Strong grain notes. More vanilla. Quite lovely and intriguing overall.
Floral and sweet at first, then settles into rose water with a lingering sweetness and gentle heat on the sides of the tongue. Oak and vanilla from the bourbon casks come through clearly on the second taste and blend into the other notes subsequently. Honeydew melon. Yellow apple. Very light but carries a full, complex flavor. Often seems to finish with an orange muscat dessert wine note. 92 proof shows with occasional lingering spice and drying sensation, becoming saliva to the mouth.
Really quite an impressive pour that is growing on me as I work through the glass. Strongly floral, rich and diverse fruit, clear bourbon notes (first fill cask for all 12 yrs since SiB?) that complement rather than conflict. I will enjoy this bottle... rating reflects the very affordable price point vs. value.
20.0
USD
per
Bottle
Bubbles Wine & Spirits
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@aacharbonneau I actually haven’t had the general release 12 year but this store pick was really intriguing and unique in a great way. Another lighter and floral one. I bunkered a couple bottles!
I love the standard 12yr release, and this sounds even better! Great review!