Kilbeggan Double Distilled 11yo

Kilbeggan Double Distilled 11yo

Official bottling
Single malt - Leinster
Amber gold
40% ABV
Dram

Nose: Lemon zest, lemon sweets, malted grains, green apples, fresh cut grass, hints of yoghurt. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, cool, static, mouth coating. 
Tasting:  Sour. Green apples, malted grains, peaches, fresh cut grass, white grapes, honey, hints of cinnamon. 
Finish: Short. Green apples, nutmeg, white grapes, cinnamon, fresh cut grass. 

Comments: 

Tart and light, lots of volatility, which brings evaporating notes of green apples, grass and white grapes. No water, it’s too light, but it’s quite intense on the tongue with a little spiciness.

Verdict:

I like this.

Cooley 17yo Batch 1

Cooley 17yo Batch 1

That Boutique-y Whisky Company, Master of Malt
Single malt - Leinster
Straw
48.5% ABV
Dram

Nose: Yoghurt, white wine, sour cream, white grapes, ink, nail varnish, hints of white pepper. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, thickens slightly, cool, oily. 
Tasting:  Sour sweet. Yoghurt, sour cream, white grapes, raisins, mangoes, nail varnish, malted grains. 
Finish: Short. Malted grains, coffee, molasses, nail varnish, yoghurt. 

Comments: 

Quite lactic, with tropical fruit and plenty of maltiness. Even on the tongue the lactic note persists. The finish is quite short but intense, with a bitter, watery edge.

Verdict:

I like this.

Cooley 19yo 2002/2021

Cooley 19yo 2002/2021

Rare Find Whisky, Gleann Mor Spirits
Single malt - Leinster
Bright gold
53.8% ABV
Dram

Nose: Peaches, rhubarb and custard sweets, pear drops, lemon zest, fresh cut grass, hints of vanilla. With water, fresh cut grass, vanilla, autumn leaves, pear drops. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, thickens, warm, astringent. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Rhubarb and custard sweets, brass polish, aluminium foil, fresh cut grass, lemon zest, hints of honey. With water, malted grains, fresh cut grass, autumn leaves, lemon zest. 
Finish: Long. Lemon zest, fresh cut grass, brass polish, hints of pear drops. 

Comments: 

Quite surprised I’ve not had a Cooley labelled as a Cooley. This one is quite feinty, lots of estery, chemical notes. Water introduces earthy, grassy notes which change its character quite a lot. Lovely.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Teeling Brabazon #1

Teeling Brabazon #1

Official bottling
Single malt - Central Ireland
Bright gold
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Hazelnuts, chocolate, burnt cinnamon, brown sugar, hints of plum jam. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, thickens, sticky, syrupy. 
Tasting:  Sweet. Marmalade, plum jam, honey, chocolate, burnt cinnamon, hints of nutmeg. 
Finish: Long. Burnt cinnamon, chocolate, allspice, hints of coffee. 

Comments: 

This set of Teeling's releases (from their existing stock - fairly sure this is Cooley) is meant to showcase the virtues of cask finishing. This one is a blend of several sherry casked whiskies. The sweet jammy notes are classic sherry, of course, and there's spice as well. It's all rather sickly, I'm afraid, although I enjoyed it.

Verdict:

I like this.

Teeling Revival Vol V 12yo

Teeling Revival Vol V 12yo

Teeling Reserves
Single malt - Central Ireland
Silvery bronze
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Apple juice, apple skins, boiled peanuts, petrichor, raisins, autumn leaves. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, astringent, mouth coating, loosens slightly. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Marzipan, autumn leaves, vanilla sponge, apple juice, hints of green tea. 
Finish: Short. Green tea, petrichor, autumn leaves, apple juice, hints of marzipan. 

Comments: 

Another Teeling release from their stocks of Cooley. This one is earthy and appley, not overly sweet. There's a lot of complexity here, many dimensions of flavours that I did not expect to find in an Irish whisky. Nice stuff.

Verdict:

I like this.

Teeling Single Grain 2006/2016

Teeling Single Grain 2006/2016

Teeling Reserves, Teeling
Single grain - Cooley
Straw
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Vanilla, coconuts, pear drops, vanilla, orange, cinnamon. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, slippery, watery, airy. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Coconuts, cinnamon, pear drops, vanilla, orange peel, hints of salt caramel. 
Finish: Short. Black tea, salt caramel, coconuts, hints of cinnamon. 

Comments: 

Cooley spirit, finished in red wine casks. There's not much red fruits (which is maybe not one might expect). Instead, there's typical grain whiskey notes of coconut and vanilla, but these are smoothed over and muted, and blend well into notes such as pear drops and salt caramel, which are perhaps more typical of malt. Good stuff.

Verdict:

I like this.

Glendalough 7yo Black Pitts Porter Finish

Glendalough 7 yo Black Pitts Porter Finish

Glendalough
Single malt - Central Ireland
Copper
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Pears, cream, marshmallows, cloves, brown paper, hints of peaches. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, loosens immediately, turns watery, slippery. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Pears, green tea, peanuts, peaches, cloves, hints of marshmallows. 
Finish: Medium. Cloves, magic marker, pears, hints of pineapples. 

Comments: 

Another Cooley, bottled by Glendalough distillery while their single malt matures. It's been finished in porter casks, and seems to have picked up a rich, unctuous mouthfeel. There's a lot of spice in this, quite unusual in an Irish whiskey. Tasty.

Verdict:

I like this.

Tyrconnell 10yo Sherry Cask Finish

Tyrconnell 10yo Sherry Cask Finish

Official bottling
Single malt - Central Ireland
Amber
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Raspberries, red grapes, malted grains, honey, blackcurrant cordial, hints of cream. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, slippery, tingly, loosens. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Black currant cordial, red grapes, vanilla, custard, hints of strawberries. 
Finish: Short. Black tea, red grapes, blackcurrant cordial, hints of chillies. 

Comments: 

Smooth sherry monster, even if it's just been finished in a sherry cask, it's pretty good. Full of red and black fruits, with a little kick in the finish. It's a lot better than the Aussie sherry monster I had a few days ago.

Verdict:

I like this.

Jack Ryan Beggar's Bush 12 yo

Jack Ryan Beggar's Bush 12 yo

Jack Ryan, for the Beggar's Bush pub
Single malt - Central Ireland
Pale amber
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Raisins, maraschino cherries, caramel, vanilla, honey, hints of red grapes. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loose, airy, slightly slippery. 
Tasting:  Salty sweet. Raisins, vanilla, damsons, brown paper, honey, salt caramel. 
Finish: Short. Honey, ginger, vanilla, hints of black pepper. 

Comments: 

A special release to commemorate a famous pub in Dublin owned by the Ryan family. Very nicely sherried, typical Irish light whisky. Great heaping notes of fruit and caramel, very jammy. Spicy notes at the end.

Verdict:

I like this.

Glendalough 13 yo

Glendalough 13 yo

Glendalough
Single malt - Central Ireland
Amber
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Brass polish, lemon zest, rhubarb and custard sweets, cream, hints of sandalwood. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loose, airy, slightly slippery. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Apples, cream, sour apple sweets, peaches, hints of leather. 
Finish: Long. Green tea, sandalwood, apples, sour apple sweets. 

Comments: 

Cooley whisky, bottled by Glendalough distillery while their new make ages. Rather brassy and tart on the nose, like a young Rosebank (don't get too many of those these days). Nice apple notes on the tongue, tannic and fragrant finish.

Verdict:

I like this.

Tyrconnell Single Malt

Tyrconnell Single Malt

Official bottling
Single malt - Central Ireland
Straw
40% ABV
Dram

Nose: Cream, raisins, photocopy paper, mint, butter, hints of sugar cane. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loose, watery, airy. 
Tasting: Sweet sour. Cream, raisins, butter, white grapes, hints of sugar cane. 
Finish: Short. Raisins, butterscotch, sugar cane, caramel. 

Comments: 

Hmm. Not really very complex. I now remember why I failed to bother with Irish whiskey for so many years - the flavours are faint, slightly one dimensional, and frankly not really that interesting. Still, there's some good, if slightly fuzzy notes. Drinkable.

Verdict:

Not bad.

Tyrconnell 10 yo Madeira Finish

Tyrconnell 10 yo Madeira Finish

Official bottling 
Single malt - Central Ireland
Golden
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Red grapes, candle wax, cinnamon, cloves, raspberries, vanilla, chocolate, hints of musk.
Mouthfeel: Light body, airy, loose, expands in the mouth.
Tasting: Sweet sour. Oranges, red grapes, vanilla, chocolate, peaches, cloves, peanuts, hints of pear.
Finish: Long. Peanuts, chocolate, peaches, cloves.

Comments:

Fruity, very spicy, still retains a great deal of winey red grape flavour. But this one is buttressed by loads of chocolate and peanuts. Remarkable depth of flavour despite its light body, and, er, triple distilled Irish character.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

Connemara Cask Strength NAS

Connemara Cask Strength NAS

Official bottling
Single malt - Central Ireland
Amber gold
59.8% ABV
Dram

Nose: Peat, oak, red wine, salt caramel, raisins, toffee, maraschino cherries, hints of smoke.
Mouthfeel: Medium body, thickens, volatile, hot.
Tasting: Bitter sweet. Oak, salt caramel, raisins, root beer, dried coconut, lemons, maraschino cherries, peat. With water, much saltier, sea salt, peat, hints of gentle smoke.
Finish: Medium. Peanuts, lemons, root beer. With water, coconut, raspberries.

Comments:

Very smooth, and a lot sweeter than the normal Connemara. It's not very subtle - alcohol brings out a lot of the fruitier flavours and rubs them all over with the peat. Enjoyable though. I think this is a whiskey to sip (no water) while listening to rock music.

Verdict:

I like this.

Connemara Single Malt NAS

Connemara Single Malt NAS

Official bottling
Single malt - Central Ireland
Amber
40% ABV
Dram

Nose: Peat, raisins, pears, white wine, raspberries, hints of white grape.
Mouthfeel: Light body, watery, loose, cool.
Tasting: Sweet sour. Peat, lemons, white wine, white grapes, hints of pear, hints of peaches.
Finish: Medium. Peanuts, lemons, white grapes.

Comments:

My first formally tasted Irish whiskey! I liked this when I had it last, and I like it even more now. Cool, refreshing texture in the mouth, not too alcoholic. The peat is gentle, almost soothing, and nicely underpinned by the notes of grape and pear. Tasty.

Verdict:

I like this.