Day Twenty-Two: Irish Whiskey Advent Calendar Countdown DEC 22 – Writers Tears Cask Strength (2017 Release) 53% Cost = $110-$125 Score: B Nose: orchard fruits – pear, apple, caramel, some ginger spice, vanilla, charred green banana Taste: tingly spice, dark caramel, coffee, dark chocolate, oakiness Finish: spice continues with a lengthy finish, wood char with some tannins and astringency Overall: amped up standard release – but not necessarily better for this cask strength release, wish I had a little more to have tried with water – would like to spend more time with this one …
Author: Wes
Wes
Senior Staff Writer, Wes, was born and raised in Darlington, South Carolina and attended college at the United States Air Force Academy. After flying helicopters for the Air Force and teaching at the Air Force Academy, he retired in beautiful Colorado Springs, Colorado, after twenty years of military service. He now works in public school education, is married with three children, and leads the monthly Proper Pour Whisk(e)y Club. You can follow him on Twitter @WesModernThirst and e-mail him at [email protected].
Day Twenty-One: Irish Whiskey Advent Calendar Countdown DEC 21 – That Boutique-y Whisky Company 13 Year Old Irish Single Malt Batch 3 46.8% Cost = $85 for 500 ml Score: B Nose: floral, fresh linen, grapes, apples, toffee, a touch of acetone maybe Taste: nice spices at the beginning, citrus, chocolate, apple skins, and toffee Finish: good length – medium to long with wood spice Overall: enjoy what That Boutique-y Whisky Company is doing – great label designs; prefer the 8 Year Old Irish Single Malt reviewed earlier a little better than this older one …
Day Twenty: Irish Whiskey Advent Calendar Countdown DEC 20 – Teeling Whiskey Brabazon Bottling Series 2 49.5% Cost = $75-$85 Score: B+ Nose: bold dark fruit, caramel, touch of cinnamon, red apple skins Taste: mouth coating – tongue-tingling spice, dark caramels, plums, chocolate and strawberry Finish: really like it – different with the port finish, chocolate again Overall: unique dram – made up of single malt finished in tawny port, white port, and ruby port; love the impact of the finishing on this whiskey – will seek out a bottle Click…
Day Nineteen: Irish Whiskey Advent Calendar Countdown DEC 19 – The Dubliner 10 Year Irish Whiskey 42% Cost = $45-$60 Score: C Nose: pear, caramel, baking spices, touch of oak Taste: spice, flat Dr. Pepper, toffee and oak with astringency Finish: medium, do not like the end of the finish on this one – also drying Overall: a bit unbalanced in my opinion – oak and astringency too dominant, seems higher than 42% ABV Click the links below for the introduction and other Irish Whiskey Advent Calendar Reviews. The top…
Day Eighteen: Irish Whiskey Advent Calendar Countdown DEC 18 – The Pogues Irish Whiskey 40% Cost = $30-$40 Score: C- Nose: better than expectations on the nose – citrus, floral, honey, toffee Taste: flat cola caramel, woody oak notes, dark chocolate Finish: short-medium, a bit of cardboard – the weakest element Overall: not a favorite, a bit unbalanced in my opinion – if a fan of the band maybe give it a try; nose is the best part – downhill from there Click the links below for the introduction and other Irish Whiskey Advent Calendar Reviews.…
Day Seventeen: Irish Whiskey Advent Calendar Countdown DEC 17 – Tullamore D.E.W. 12 Year Special Reserve 40% Cost = $50-$55 Score: B Nose: really like on initial nosing – rich, sweet and fruity – apricot and peaches, vanilla Taste: caramel, honey, apple, dark chocolate, some oak with a nuttiness Finish: medium-long, pleasant with citrus at the end Overall: blend of pot still, malt, and grain whiskies aged in bourbon and sherry casks; solid effort, price, palate, and age are all positives Click the links below for the introduction and other Irish Whiskey Advent Calendar Reviews. The…
Day Sixteen: Irish Whiskey Advent Calendar Countdown DEC 16 – Hyde 6 Year Old No. 3 Aras Cask 46% Cost = $60-$70 Score: B- Nose: brown sugar, caramel, vanilla – a light bourbon-y nose Taste: sweet then herbal, some bitterness, charred wood notes Finish: good medium length, drying with some astringency Overall: price to palate ratio – not sure, not bad but I could think of others I’d recommend first for the cost Click the links below for the introduction and other Irish Whiskey Advent Calendar Reviews. The top 2 from the second round of…
Day Fifteen: Irish Whiskey Advent Calendar Countdown DEC 15 – Connemara Peated Single Malt 40% Cost = $40-$50 Score: B- Nose: peated caramel apples, spices, potpourri, intriguingly pleasant Taste: spiced smoked toffee, red apple skins, a little vanilla and honey, an herbal quality Finish: medium-long with a charred wood note Overall: reportedly around 13-14 ppm on the peat; I love peated whiskies but this one is not quite there for me – would try again due to the unique nature of the dram; nose better than the palate in my opinion Click the links below for…
Day Fourteen: Irish Whiskey Advent Calendar Countdown DEC 14 – The Irishman Single Malt 40% Cost = $50-$60 Score: B Nose: rich, orchard fruits, apples, vanilla, peaches, honey, and slight touch of cinnamon Taste: apricot, dark sugars, ginger spice, pepper, dark chocolate, wood tannins Finish: medium overall – nothing off-putting here Overall: well-balanced overall – solid dram; non-age statement, but supposedly around 10 years old Click the links below for the introduction and other Irish Whiskey Advent Calendar Reviews. The top 2 from the second round of 6 whiskies shown above were the Writers Tears Copper…
Day Thirteen: Irish Whiskey Advent Calendar Countdown DEC 13 – Peaky Blinder Irish Whiskey 40% Cost = $25-$30 Score: C+ Nose: touch of caramel, red apple, vanilla, and some grainy notes Taste: thin mouthfeel, touch of wood, nuts, caramel sugars, with spice at the end Finish: short, quickly fades – some tannins Overall: a small batch blend aged in sherry casks; better than I thought after first nosing – do not get a lot of the sherry, maybe a slight nuttiness – worth a possible revisit for the price Click the links below for the introduction…