Killowen 3yo Barantuil Pinot Noir Firkin

Killowen 3yo Barantuil Pinot Noir Firkin

Official bottling 
Single pot still - Ulster
Amber gold
57% ABV
Dram

Nose: Peaches, malted grains, icing sugar, lemon zest, yoghurt, hints of raisins. With water, white pepper, icing sugar, persimmons. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, hot, mouth coating, volatile. 
Tasting:  Sour sweet. Raisins, damson jam, yoghurt, lemon sherbet, icing sugar, cola nuts. With water, icing sugar, damson jam, persimmons. 
Finish: Short. Cloves, lemon sherbet, damson jam, raisins. 

Comments: 

Fruity, spicy, lots of deeply sweet notes. But there’s also a lactic note that’s quite prominent. Water brings out a powdery sugariness and persimmons. 

Verdict:

I like this.

Killowen 3yo 2020/2024 Barantuil Kult Blackberry Rum Finish

Killowen 3yo 2020/2024 Barantuil Kult Blackberry Rum Finish

Official bottling 
Single malt - Ulster
Very pale yellow
61.12% ABV
Dram

Nose: Blackberries, malted grains, cloves, strawberry jam, cola nuts, hints of black pepper. With water, cola nuts, marmalade, white grapes, ume. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, loosens, hot, mouth coating. 
Tasting:  Sweet. Cola nuts, blackberries, leather, strawberry jam, sarsaparilla, black pepper, malted grains. With water, ume, blackberries, watermelon rind. 
Finish: Medium. Cola nuts, coffee, sarsaparilla, leather. 

Comments: 

Sweet and malty, lots of herbal and jammy notes that pop in the mouth. The high ABV is slightly off-putting, but adding water helps a lot. The ume note appears instantly with a few drops of water.

Verdict:

I like this.

Killowen 3yo Barantuil Quarter Bourbon Cask and Tawny Port Finish

Killowen 3yo Barantuil Quarter Bourbon Cask and Tawny Port Finish

Official bottling
Single malt - Ulster
Rose
56% ABV
Dram

Nose: Damson jam, ume, sourdough bread, black pepper, oatcakes, raisins, persimmons. With water, strawberry jam, ume, black pepper. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, hot, sticky, syrupy. 
Tasting:  Sweet. Raisins, ume, barley sugar, sourdough bread, black pepper, dark chocolate, rye bread. With water, black tea, yoghurt, black pepper, strawberry jam. 
Finish: Medium. Rye bread, black pepper, dark chocolate, red wine. 

Comments: 

Cask KD202. The sweet sour, ume flavour that seems characteristic of Killowen goes really well with a port cask finish. Lots of sweet and jammy notes, with a good strong cereal spine.

Verdict:

I like this.

Killowen 4yo 2019/2024 Barantuil Funky Ale Finish

Killowen 4yo 2019/2024 Barantuil Funky Ale Finish

Official bottling 
Single malt - Ulster
Straw
52.35% ABV
Dram

Nose: Lemon zest, limes, new plastic, malted grains, oatcakes, hints of ume. With water, new plastic, winter melons, soor ploom sweets.  
Mouthfeel: Light body, hot, airy, mouth coating. 
Tasting:  Sour sweet. Soor ploom sweets, ume, oatcakes, peaches, limes, lemon zest, hints of cough syrup. With water, soor ploom sweets, peaches, limes, ume. 
Finish: Medium. Ume, oatcakes, peaches, cough syrup. 

Comments: 

Cask KD211. Deep and sweet flavours, with a bit of funk alongside it. There’s a lot of cereal (largely not malty ones), but it’s a good counterpoint to the fruitiness.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Killowen 3yo

Killowen 3yo

Redacted Spirits
Single pot still - Ulster 
Pale silver
62.45% ABV
Dram

Nose: Toast, oatcakes, bran flakes, vanilla, sultanas, honey, hints of nutmeg. With water, toast, peaches, apple juice, yoghurt. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loosens, tingly, hot. 
Tasting:  Sour sweet. Gooseberries, apple juice, orange peel, vanilla, tutti frutti, nutmeg, hints of oatcakes. With water, apple juice, green tea, vanilla. 
Finish: Short. Green tea, gooseberries, apple juice, tutti frutti. 

Comments: 

A rather cereally, lactic young whisky from one of the new crop of distilleries in Ireland. It’s young and strong, and needs a bit of aging.

Verdict:

I like this.