Powers Gold Label 12yo First Release

Powers Gold Label 12yo First Release

Official bottling 

Single malt - Munster 
Amber
40% ABV
Dram

Nose: Cream, peaches, vanilla ice cream, malted grains, honey, hints of toffee. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, thickens, cool, volatile. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Peaches, apricot jam, vanilla ice cream, icing sugar, honey, hints of toffee. 
Finish: Medium. Apricot jam, peaches, vanilla ice cream, milk powder, hints of icing sugar. 

Comments: 

Peaches forever and a day, that’s what this tastes like. It’s got apricots as well, and a dusty sweetness that reminds me of icing sugar. Lovely delicious dram.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Tullamore DEW 18yo

Tullamore DEW 18yo

Official bottling 
Single malt - Munster
Amber
41.3% ABV
Dram

Nose: Cinder toffee, strawberry laces, honey, candied oranges, aluminium foil. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, static, tingly, cool. 
Tasting:  Bitter salty. Aluminium foil, orange peel, strawberry laces, vanilla, honey, hints of cinder toffee. 

Finish: Short. Cinder toffee, vanilla, honey, green tea. 

Comments: 

Lots of sweet notes, but it’s rather bitter and feinty on the tongue. It’s not very complex, quite one note. Passable.

Verdict:

I like this.

Gold Spot 9yo

Gold Spot 9yo

Official bottling 
Single malt - Munster
Amber 

51.4% ABV
Dram

Nose: Vanilla, tutti frutti, honey, orange peel, fresh baked bread, vanilla sponge, desiccated coconut. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, slippery, loosens, expands. 
Tasting:  Sweet. Vanilla, white pepper, orange peel, fresh baked bread, cornflakes, vanilla sponge, hints of raisins. 
Finish: Medium. Raisins, cornflakes, damson jam, vanilla sponge. 

Comments: 

Sweet and luscious, this is really quite rich and unctuous for an Irish whisky. Plenty of fruit and vanilla entwine a light distillate. Lots of white pepper and cornflakes complete a lovely dram.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Method and Madness Hungarian Oak

Method and Madness Hungarian Oak

Official bottling
Single malt - Southern Ireland
Golden, tinge of green
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Toasted coconut, treacle, cinnamon, melon, vanilla, hints of brown paper. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, airy, warm, astringent. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Cinnamon, treacle, walnut skins, butterscotch, brown sugar, vanilla fudge. 
Finish: Long. Coffee, cinnamon, treacle, hints of white grapes. 

Comments: 

There's a lot of toastiness here - the whisky is redolent with warm flavours, coconut, butterscotch, treacle, lots of things that have browned or otherwise undergone Maillard reactions. It's also, somehow, surprisingly light, and that's how I identify it as an Irish whiskey.

Verdict:

I like this.

Green Spot Single Cask 26yo 1991/2018

Green Spot Single Cask 26yo 1991/2018

Official bottling, for the Whisky Exchange
Single malt - Southern Ireland
Dark amber
55.7% ABV
Dram

Nose: Raisins, red grapes, black tea, plum pudding, honey, lime zest. With water, lime curd, honey, cocoa, raisins. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, loosens, slippery, cool. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Cucumber, red grapes, plums, chocolate, honey, hints of lime juice. With water, sweeter, raisins, blackberry jam, cocoa, honeydew melons. 
Finish: Long. Lemon zest, lime zest, chocolate, honey, raisins. 

Comments: 

Cask 50776. I like wine-finished Green Spot. The whisky just seems to take wine finishing very well, and you can often taste the wine in the whisky. No, I'm not really a purist. This particular one was aged in bourbon, then sherry, then finished in Marsala casks for a couple of years (!). It shows - there's sweet plum pudding and blackberry jam, even chocolate, but there's also quite a lot of citrus underneath. Marvellous stuff.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

Red Spot 15yo

Red Spot 15yo

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

Nose: Red grapes, honey, raisins, strawberries, lemon juice, black tea. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, loosens, slippery, tingly. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Sea salt, black tea, raisins, vanilla, lemon juice, hints of ginseng. 
Finish: Short. Ginseng, black tea, sea salt, hints of olive oil. 

Comments: 

Sweet and light, but there's a savoury note, and even some oily bitterness on the finish. This is a much more sophisticated and complex whisky than I would have expected for Midleton. Very nice indeed.

Verdict:

I like this.

Green Spot Chateau Montelena

Green Spot Chateau Montelena

Official bottling
Single malt - Southern Ireland
Dark gold
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Peaches, lemon zest, honey, lavender, honeydew melon. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, slippery, oily, tingly. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Cookie dough, vanilla, lavender, peach jam, hints of cloves. 
Finish: Short. Honey, peach jam, cloves, vanilla. 

Comments: 

This is not as good as the previous expression in the series (Chateau Leoville Barton), but it's fragrant and sweet, with plenty of jammy notes, and a large slug of lavender. Potpourri whisky, if that's your thing.

Verdict:

I like this.

Green Spot Chateau Leoville Barton Cask

Green Spot Chateau Leoville Barton Cask

Official bottling
Single malt - Southern Ireland
Copper
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Orange peel, red grapes, tobacco leaf, lemon zest, hints of leather. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, syrupy, sticky, tight. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Red grapes, black tea, leather, orange peel, hints of brass polish. 
Finish: Medium. Black tea, raisins, orange peel, leather. 

Comments: 

First expression in the 'Wild Geese' series, where Green Spot whisky is finished in a particular set of wine casks. This one is a Bordeaux made by an Irish family. The whisky is classic wine cask, plenty of red grapes and orange peel, but there's a gentle, leathery feel to it that makes it stand out from the rest. Good stuff.

Verdict:

I like this.

Method in the Madness Single Malt

Method in the Madness Single Malt

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

Nose: Malted grains, honey, sea salt, orange peel, hints of soy sauce 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loose, turns watery, airy. 
Tasting:  Sweet salty. Raisins, honey, sea salt, candied oranges, marshmallows, hints of soy sauce. 
Finish: Short. Raisins, caramelised peanuts, orange peel, malted grains, hints of salted plums. 

Comments: 

Unlike other Midletons, this whisky has a savoury edge to it. However, it retains the light, loose mouthfeel that defines Irish whisky. Quite unusual.

Verdict:

I like this.

Jameson Gold

Jameson Gold

Official bottling
Single blend - Southern Ireland
Amber gold
40% ABV
Dram

Nose: Honey, cotton sheets, apples, cloves, cinnamon, hints of cardamom. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, watery, cool, static. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Honey, cloves, white grapes, raisins, chocolate. 
Finish: Medium. Black tea, honey, cloves, white grapes. 

Comments: 

Well, this is a surprise! This whisky is spicy, fruity and assertive, full of honeyed glory. Much better value than the previous whisky, and certainly a better whisky all round. Great value for its price point.

Verdict:

I like this.

Midleton Very Rare 2015

Midleton Very Rare 2015

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

Nose: Brown paper, raisins, honey, figs, photocopy paper. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, cool, loose, watery. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Black tea, raisins, coffee, buttered toast, hints of iodine. 
Finish: Short. Coffee, raisins, vanilla. 

Comments: 

I've had some good, and some odd expressions of this range in the past. This 2015 version though, is disappointing. It starts out fruity and slightly chemical, then morphs to bitter sweet on the tongue, some tannic notes, then peters out to... not much.

Verdict:

Not bad.

Redbreast 15 yo

Redbreast 15 yo

Official landing
Single malt - Southern Ireland
Gold, tinge of green
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Chocolate, raisins, lemon zest, brown paper, rhubarb and custard sweets. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, thickens slightly, oily. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Orange peel, raisins, brown paper, dark chocolate, lemon zest, apricots. 
Finish: Short. Dark chocolate, raisins, lemon zest, apricots. 

Comments: 

Finishing the Redbreast official bottling trinity! I've had the 12 and the 21, and this is the last one. It's fruity like the others, a bit more chocolatey and raisiny perhaps. Plenty of fruit and chocolate in the finish too.

Verdict:

I like this.

Midleton Very Rare 2014

Midleton Very Rare 2014

Official bottling
Single malt - Southern Ireland
Buttercups
40% ABV
Dram

Nose: Orange peel, apricots, milk, vanilla, lemon zest, hints of rich tea biscuits. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loose, turns watery, slippery. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Orange peel, green tea, apricots, fresh baked bread, white grapes, hints of vanilla. 
Finish: Medium. Green tea, white grapes, apricots, plums. 

Comments: 

Light and delicious! I had the sister bottling to this, the 2006, and I remember it well. This one is a bit different, fruity and slightly tannic, plenty of cereally notes as well. Very good stuff, I always think I need to drink more Irish whisky.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

Redbreast 21 yo

Redbreast 21 yo

Official bottling
Single malt - Southern Ireland
Dark gold
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Magic marker, pears, leather, apple juice, oats, hints of grilled pork. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, tingly, slippery, slightly water around the edges. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Magic marker, pears, apples, quince jelly, oats, hints of smoky bacon. 
Finish: Short. Chillies, apples, vanilla, hints of quince jelly. 

Comments: 

Older version of the Redbreast range. This one is appley and volatile, huge magic marker notes, followed by meaty, slightly savoury flavours. Great cooked fruit and cereal on the tongue too. Excellent stuff.

Verdict:

I like this.

Redbreast 12 yo

Redbreast 12 yo

Official bottling
Single malt - Southern Ireland
Amber, tinge of red
40% ABV
Dram

Nose: Oranges, watermelons, bananas, brown paper, black tea, hints of pomeloes. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, turns syrupy, thickens, slightly oily. 
Tasting: Sweet sour. Oranges, black tea, vanilla, bananas, peaches, hints of pomeloes. 
Finish: Short. Black tea, peaches, vanilla, dried apples. 

Comments: 

Pot still Irish whiskey, newly released (well, new since my last major foray into Irish whiskey, years ago - shame on me). It's fruity, light and floral, with a slight astringency that I interpret as black tea. Great finish, slightly bitter, fruity - exactly like a Turkish apple tea perhaps?

Verdict:

I like this.

Yellow Spot 12 yo

Yellow Spot 12 yo

Official bottling
Single malt - Southern Ireland
Green gold
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Oranges, lemons, brass polish, bananas, honey, hints of brown paper. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, static, turns watery, tingly. 
Tasting: Sweet sour. Bananas, brown papers, oranges, honey, hints of cinnamon. 
Finish: Long. Bananas, honey, prunes, hints of dried apricots. 

Comments: 

First Irish dram in a while! This is light and smooth, yet sweet, almost bourbon like in its oaky, bananary flavours. Yet there's a lot of fruity complexity underlying that, and some spicy fragrant notes too. This could be a Rosebank... but its not. Midleton, take a bow.

Verdict:

I like this.

Midleton Very Rare 2006

Midleton Very Rare 2006

Official bottling
Single malt - Southern Ireland
Bronze
40% ABV
Dram

Nose: Nail polish, oak, walnuts, lemon zest, cedar, pears, hints of vanilla.
Mouthfeel: Light body, volatile, warm, evaporates quickly.
Tasting: Sour. Pears, oak, walnuts, lemons, peaches, vanilla, hints of limes.
Finish: Short. Peaches, pears, lemon zest, starfruit.

Comments:

Smells strange at first, like a cleaning cupboard. Then once on the tongue, it explodes into sweet, fruity flavours. There is a lot of flavour in this whisky (despite being Irish). Apparently there are some 50 yo aged casks blended in. Each annual release differs slightly.

Verdict:

I like this.

Green Spot

Green Spot

Green Spot, Mitchell & Son
Single malt - Southern Ireland
Dark green gold
40% ABV
Dram

Nose: Apples, apple juice, toffee, candied coconut, hints of orange peel, hints of coriander seed.
Mouthfeel: Light body, watery, static, smooth.
Tasting: Sweet. Apple juice, toffee, lemons, candied coconut, orange peel, hints of lavender.
Finish: Short. Apple juice, coriander seed, lemons.

Comments:

This is pure pot still whiskey, 7 yo vatted with 8 yo, matured in various sherry casks (including oloroso and fino). A bonded whiskey, distilled by Midleton for a bottler, in this case Mitchell & Son of Dublin. It tastes like Copella apple juice turned into a whiskey! Very light, and I think this would be fantastic on ice.

Verdict:

I like this.