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 - Glenmorangie 18 Year Old Extremely Rare Single Malt Scotch Whisky
This is a very subtle and subdued whisky with flavors that are pleasant. It is well blended but just wish there was a little more ponch to it… we really wanted Chris Hemsworth but got Tom Hiddleston.
Rating 3 Glasses
Distillery: Glenmorangie Distillery
Years Aged: 18
Proof: 86
Local Price (USD): $115.95
Availability: Widespread
Tasting Notes
Color & Consistency: Golden honey with medium, thin and slightly runny legs.
Nose: Light hints of vanilla, hand sanitizer, and very floral. Kind of like walking into a hospital gift shop.
Taste: Mellow and balanced but hard to pick out individual flavors. Lightly charred oak & dried fruits.
Finish: Light, warm & dry with just a touch of smoke at the very end.
Conclusion: This is a very subtle and subdued whisky with flavors that are pleasant but nothing that stands out as spectacular. If you enjoy Johnnie Walker then you will definitely enjoy Glenmorangie 18. It is well blended but we just wish there was a little more ponch to it. Probably wouldn't seek it out at the price point as you are better off putting your money towards a good bottle of Highland Park or Aberlour. To analogize it… we really wanted Chris Hemsworth but got Tom Hiddleston.
Chris Hemsworth
Tom Hiddleston
Review - Wanderback Whiskey Batch No. 2
…Wanderback's second release sets itself apart by first aging in new American oak barrels then finishing its last 6 months in Nicaraguan ex-rum and Heaven Hill ex-bourbon barrels. In our opinion Batch No. 2 is a notch above its older sibling and delivers a smoother, more balanced and flavorful experience overall….
Rating 3.5 Glasses
Distillery: Westland Distillery (Bottled by Wanderback)
Years Aged: 3 (website says 4)
Proof: 100
Local Price (USD): $64.95
Availability: Uncommon
We want to thank the the good folks over at Wanderback for providing this sample for review. Our reviews are objective and without bias regardless of how the whiskey was obtained.
Tasting Notes
Color & Consistency: Golden amber with skinny turtle legs.
Nose: Floral and buttery rum cake drizzled with grenadine and lightly singed around the edges.
Taste: Sweet, spicy, rummy. Less smokey than Batch No. 1.
Finish: Smooth but medium fade. No smoke but instead hints of cherry brandy and rum.
Conclusion: Made from the same mash bill as Batch No. 1, Wanderback's second release sets itself apart by first aging in new American oak barrels then finishing its last 6 months in Nicaraguan ex-rum and Heaven Hill ex-bourbon barrels. In our opinion Batch No. 2 is a notch above its older sibling and delivers a smoother, more balanced and flavorful experience overall. As far as rating this whiskey, we would give it 4 glasses based on flavor and experience but the higher price point holds it back a bit. Yet still a very strong performance for only their 2nd release to date. Mash bill: Washington Select Pale Malt, Pale Chocolate Malt, Munich Malt, Crystal Malt. Bottles Released: 2,500 Based on how the current progression has been, we can't wait to see what Wanderback has in store for us with Batch No. 3 set to be released in the fall of 2019. You can check out our review of Batch No. 1 here. And when it's released our review of Batch No. 3 here.
Review - Wanderback Whiskey Batch No. 1
The first release from Wanderback Whiskey, Batch No. 1 was made in collaboration with Westland Distillery in Seattle, WA….This solid whiskey is full of oak and smoke and perfectly at home enjoyed neat in a Glencairn.
Rating 3 Glasses
Distillery: Westland Distillery (Bottled by Wanderback)
Years Aged: 2 (Website says 3)
Proof: 90
Local Price (USD): $59.95
Availability: Uncommon
We want to thank the the good folks over at Wanderback for providing this sample for review. Our reviews are objective and without bias regardless of how the whiskey was obtained.
Tasting Notes
Color & Consistency: Golden Honey. Slowly developing thin legs.
Nose: Smokey bacon, toffee and maple with a hint of vanilla.
Taste: Buttery toffee gives way to spice and charred oak. Reminds me of Lagavullin.
Finish: Long smokey dry finish with remnants of charred oak and spices.
Conclusion: The first release from Wanderback Whiskey, Batch No. 1 was made in collaboration with Westland Distillery in Seattle, WA. Aged in new American oak barrels, this great single malt contains a mix of Washington Select Pale, Pale Chocolate, Munich & Crystal Malts. Released in Summer of 2017, Wanderback's Batch No. 1 took home the 2018 double gold medal from the The American Distilling Institute. This solid whiskey is full of oak and smoke and perfectly at home enjoyed neat in a Glencairn. If you liked this review of Batch No. 1 go check out our review of Batch No. 2 here and we can't wait for the release of Batch No. 3 which is slated for Fall of 2019. Bottles Released: 2160
Review - Knappogue Castle 12 Single Malt Irish Whiskey
Yes, it's clean, smooth, refined and has all of the great things you would expect from an aged selection out of Ireland maybe 5-10 years ago, but with all of the good competition recently attacking this price point it really seems hard to justify the purchase.
Rating 2.5 Glasses
- Distillery: More than likely Old Bushmills
- Years Aged: 12
- Proof: 80
- Local Price (USD): $34.95
- Availability: Widespread
- Local Price (USD): $34.95
Background:
- From the Knappogue Whiskey Website -
- "In 1966, Mark Edwin Andrews purchased Knappogue Castle, a 15th century castle in Ireland, which was then in ruins. He and his wife, a prominent architect, then embarked on an ambitious program of restoration, in an effort to return the structure to its original state of glory and grandeur. It was around this time that Andrews began buying casks of fine pot still whiskey from top distilleries in the country. The casks were further aged and bottled under what is now the Knappogue Castle label. His last bottling, a 1951 vintage aged 36 years, is revered by connoisseurs as the oldest and rarest commercially available Irish whiskey on the market. Many years later, his son, Mark Andrews III, would bring Knappogue 1951 and his father's legacy to the United States and other international markets."
Tasting Notes
- Color & Consistency: Dried straw, thin and quick legs.
- Nose: Cherry with a minor hit of alcohol, spice & vanilla.
- Taste: Underlying sweetness, fruit & grass notes. Cherry flavor follows from the nose and clean mouth feel.
- Finish: Medium & clean not oily. Decent spice.
- Conclusion: It's an Irish for sure but kinda run-o-the-mill if you ask us. We weren't able to discern many unique flavors or characteristics to set it apart from other similarly aged Irish selections. Yes, it's clean, smooth, refined and has all of the great things you would expect from an aged selection out of Ireland maybe 5-10 years ago, but with all of the good competition recently attacking this price point it really seems hard to justify the purchase. We would prefer other options in the $20-49 dollar range and as such had to knock it on the glass rating but you won't be breaking the bank if you decide to pick one up for you or a friend to try.