Review - Connemara Peated Single Malt Irish Whiskey
This one is unique in that it is the only Irish Peated Single Malt Whiskey widely available today. Connemara Original is perfect for those scotch lovers that would like something just a bit lighter to enjoy on a hot day or with light dinner. Pour a big glass and call it good as this is one you could sip on all evening.
Rating 3 Glasses
Distillery: Cooley Distillery (Beam Suntory)
Years Aged: NAS
Proof: 80
Local Price (USD): $47.95
Availability: Widespread
Tasting Notes
Color & Consistency: Straw colored with slow legs.
Nose: Peat, grass, butterscotch, light smoke & buttered popcorn.
Taste: Very thin on the tongue, almost watery. Earthy sweetness with light spice.
Finish: Lingering light spice with just a touch of peat and toasted oak.
Conclusion: This one is unique in that it is the only Irish Peated Single Malt Whiskey widely available today. Double distilled (instead of the more common triple distillation for Irish whiskeys) in two small copper pot stills with large necks at the famous Cooley Distillery (Part of the Kilbeggan Family and owned by Beam Suntory, Inc). This causes the distillation process to take twice as long and is thought to produce a more refined product with greater flavor. Connemara Original is perfect for those scotch lovers that would like something just a bit lighter to enjoy on a hot day or with light dinner. Pour a big glass and call it good as this is one you could sip on all evening. For us Connemara fits in a unique space, being a lightly peated and soft whiskey at only 40% but if what you are looking for is that peat & smokey hit, you’re better off spending your Benjamins on a Highland or Islay Scotch.
Review - BenRiach 17 Solstice Single Malt Scotch Whisky
"Holy Sweet Peat & Band-aids that's a good nose!" - Josh
Rating 4.5 Glasses
- Distillery: BenRiach Distillery
- Years Aged: 17
- Proof: 100
- Local Price (USD): $92.00
- Availability: Uncommon
- Local Price (USD): $92.00
Tasting Notes
- Color & Consistency: Akin to a tanned Donald Trump & slow skinny chicken legs
- Nose: "Holy Sweet Peat & Band-aids that's a good nose!" - Josh. Oh and cranberries.
- Taste: For 100 proof its smooth like Jagger. Slightly dry, butter, apple & toffee
- Finish: Peaty, malty & wheaty. Hangs onto your tongue for dear life
- Conclusion: Unique to Speyside the Solstice is distilled from both peated and non-peated malted barley and finished off in a Tawny port pipe. This 2nd Edition release is just plain delicious and we so wish it was more readily available. This is one to grab if you can as it is definitely a unique duck.
Review - Ardbeg Ardbog Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky
We would put this up as the best Ardbeg yet and Josh has now made it his personal quest to find a bottle of this almost extinct release.
Josh was fortunate to enjoy this dram over at the Multnomah Whisk{e}y Library. Check out our experience by clicking here...
Rating 4.5 Glasses
- Distillery: Ardbeg Distillery
- Years Aged: NAS
- Proof: 104.2
- Local Price (USD): N/A - Auction Only
- Availability: Rare
- Local Price (USD): N/A - Auction Only
Tasting Notes
- Color: Dark amber
- Nose: Butterscotch, peat & smoke
- Taste: Heaven on fire. Smokey & sweet.
- Finish: Delicious, earthy peat & doesn't linger leaving you wanting more
Conclusion: "Like the Cadbury bunny and a block of peat moss had a love child conceived in a burning candy shop." - Josh. He basically left me to finish up this review alone as he was slightly preoccupied with slowly licking the inside rim of the glass, moaning quietly and garnering awkward looks from the fancy folks across from our table.... Coming back to reality, we would put this up as the best Ardbeg yet and Josh has now made it his personal quest to find a bottle of this almost extinct release. He would like to put next to his bottle of Ardbeg 21 (looking impeccable and never to be opened). Final thought: Ardbog contains the very essence of Islay.