Dingle Grianstad an Tsamraidh

Dingle Grianstad am Tsamraidh

Official bottling
Single malt - Munster
Dark gold
52.5% ABV
Dram

Nose: Plums, white grapes, vanilla, strawberry jam, cloves, cinnamon, prunes. With water, damson jam, cloves, white grapes, malted grains. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, loosens, hot, expands. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Black tea, black pepper, prunes, strawberry jam, cloves. With water, gooseberries, strawberry jam, cloves, black pepper. 
Finish: Medium. Orange peel, plums, strawberry jam, black pepper, brown paper. 

Comments: 

Quite fruity, lots of estery notes, but the whisky isn’t as funky as a pot still. Lots of winey notes too, and water brings out some of the cloves and pepper even more. Interesting dram.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Clonakilty Single Pot Still

Clonakilty Single Pot Still

Official bottling
Single pot still - Munster
Golden
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Ink, magic marker, sour cream, cooked rice, raisins, white grapes, hints of icing sugar. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, astringent, warm, tingly. 
Tasting:  Sour sweet. Magic marker, cooked rice, malted grains, white grapes, honey, dark chocolate, white pepper, hints of orange blossom. 
Finish: Medium. Ink, molasses, sour cream, cooked rice, white grapes. 

Comments: 

A rather funky distillate, lots of fermented notes, particularly sour cream. But there is also a deep sweetness, with floral notes overlaying it. I’m still not sure about pot still whisky but it’s certainly something that stands out.

Verdict:

I like this.

Clonakilty Port Cask

Clonakilty Port Cask

Official bottling
Single malt - Munster
Golden, hints of pink
43.6% ABV
Dram

Nose: White chocolate, fresh cut grass, straw, raisins, raspberry jam, orange blossom, hints of white pepper. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loosens, warm, tingly. 
Tasting:  Sweet. Fresh cut grass, straw, raisins, honey, black tea, white chocolate, orange blossom, hints of toffee. 
Finish: Short. Malted grains, white chocolate, orange blossom, straw, hints of toffee. 

Comments: 

Batch 44. Nice sweet notes of white chocolate and a very floral and fruity orange note too. It’s clearly malt, but it’s not very apparent till the finish. Sweet and luscious.

Verdict:

I like this.

Dingle Conocht an Erraigh

Dingle Conocht an Erraigh

Official bottling
Single malt - Munster
Amber copper
50.5% ABV
Dram

Nose: Sandalwood, pineapples, green tea, apricots, honeydew melons, cloves, nutmeg. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, astringent, warm, volatile. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Pineapples, pear drops, papayas, honeydew melons, cloves, vanilla, hints of fresh baked bread. 
Finish: Medium. Toffee, cloves, fresh baked bread, vanilla, pear drops. 

Comments: 

Fruity, with big notes of pineapples and honeydew melons. There’s a woody floral note on the nose as well. Perhaps it struggles slightly - even north of 50% the flavours are not too powerful - but it’s well constructed.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Dingle Conocht am Fomhair

Dingle Conocht am Fomhair

Official bottling 
Single malt - Munster
Bright gold
50.5% ABV
Dram

Nose: Peaches, apricots, pineapples, passionfruit, orange peel, cinnamon. With water, peaches, orange peel, cinnamon. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, thickens slightly, cool, tingly. 
Tasting:  Sour sweet. Passionfruit, peaches, honey, dates, grapefruit, orange peel, cinnamon. With water, orange peel, vanilla, honey, cinnamon. 
Finish: Short. Cinnamon, nutmeg, white pepper, peaches. 

Comments: 

Fruity and rich, lots of tropical and stone fruit. Water brings out vanilla, honey and cinnamon. A very drinkable and straightforward whisky, slips down easily and smoothly, almost quaffable.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

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. 

Waterford Hook Head 1.1

Waterford Hook Head 1.1

Official bottling
Single malt - Munster
Amber gold
50% ABV
Dram

Nose: Caramel, cinder toffee, yoghurt, lemon zest, autumn leaves, hints of mushrooms. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, expands, airy, volatile. 
Tasting:  Sour. Yoghurt, lemon zest, lemon juice, autumn leaves, caramel, burnt sugar, hints of toast. 
Finish: Medium. Autumn leaves, yoghurt, lemon zest, burnt sugar, hints of mushrooms. 

Comments: 

Quite lactic and earthy, but with a deep, smoky toffee note. Bottled at 50% as with most Waterfords, so I never quite know whether to add water or not. For this one I decided not to, as I enjoyed the richness of that toffee note. 

Verdict:

I like this.

Waterford Organic Gaia 2.1

Waterford Organic Gaia 2.1

Official bottling 
Single malt - Munster
Pale copper
50% ABV
Dram

Nose: Yoghurt, malted grains, mushrooms, pineapples, orange peel, hints of honey. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, loosens, expands, tingly. 
Tasting:  Salty sweet. Cookie dough, malted grains, pears, pineapples, orange peel, honey, hints of shortcrust pastry. 
Finish: Short. Malted grains, toffee, honey. 

Comments: 

Waterford usually smells like mushrooms when it’s first out of the bottle. It’s not something I’m a particular fan of, but after a while it fades to reveal toasty, vanilla and fruity, with a hint of pastry. It then moves to short and slightly weak finish.

Verdict:

I like this.

Dingle Lunasa

Dingle Lunasa 

Official bottling
Single malt - Munster
White wine 
50.5% ABV
Dram

Nose: Ink, iron filings, sandalwood, malted grains, white grapes, apricots, peaches, hints of walnut skins. With water, ink, pear drops, lemon juice. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loosens, mouth coating, tingly. 
Tasting:  Sour sweet. Apricots, peaches, malted grains, walnut skins, white pepper, ink, hints of vanilla. With water, malted grains, white grapes, ink, lemon juice. 
Finish: Short. Ink, white grapes, malted grains, apricots. 

Comments: 

Plenty of bitter notes, but they’re buried quite deep. The surface notes are lightly fruity, even a little tart. But there’s something metallic and slightly chemical down underneath that.

Verdict:

I like this.

Dingle Samhain

Dingle Samhain 

Official bottling 
Single malt - Munster
Golden, tinge of pink
50.5% ABV
Dram

Nose: Malted grains, raisins, white grapes, sandalwood, oak chips, apricots, hints of persimmons. With water, pear drops, apricots, malted grains. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, tingly, cool, astringent. 
Tasting:  Sour sweet. Malted grains, ginseng, vanilla, apricots, white grapes, coffee, autumn leaves, hints of oak chips. With water, ginseng, black pepper, vanilla. 
Finish: Short. Coffee, ginseng, autumn leaves, black pepper. 

Comments: 

Fruity and tart, lots of bitter notes are apparent, but not immediately. Needs a little bit of air, then the fruit dissipates somewhat. The finish is unexpectedly bitter and earthy.

Verdict:

I like this.

Dingle Single Malt

Dingle Single Malt

Official bottling 
Single malt - Munster
Bright yellow
46.3% ABV
Dram

Nose: Photocopy paper, vitamin C tablets, lemon juice, sandalwood, pears, leather. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, tingly, astringent, warm. 
Tasting:  Sour sweet. Vitamin C tablets, malted grains, pears, fresh baked bread, white pepper, leather. 
Finish: Medium. Oats, fresh baked bread, pears, magic marker, honey. 

Comments: 

Finally, a Dingle core bottling. It’s rather tart, there’s a gritty citric taste that reminds me of Berocca tablets, but there’s also malt and cereals, with an estery edge. 

Verdict:

I like this.

Waterford Peated Ballybannon 1.1

Waterford Peated Ballybannon 1.1

Official bottling 
Single malt - Munster
Orange gold
50% ABV
Dram

Nose: Farmyard, peat, hay, fresh cut grass, fresh baked bread, apple juice, hints of caramel. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, mouth coating, airy, expands. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Apple juice, farmyard, blue cheese, peat, dunnage, caramel, smoke, fresh baked bread.
Finish: Short. Dark chocolate, dunnage, apple juice, peat, smoke. 

Comments: 

Peated Waterford is new in my experience. It’s rather funky and farmyardy, with a good sweet core of apple juice and dunnage. The smoke is gentle and restrained.

Verdict:

I like this.

Waterford The Cuvée

Waterford The Cuvée 

Official bottling 
Single malt - Munster
Amber
50% ABV
Dram

Nose: Mushrooms, cinnamon, salt caramel, tablet, honey, hints of white pepper. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, cool, tingly, expands. 
Tasting:  Sour. Photocopy paper, tablet, white pepper, sultanas, magic marker, hints of cookie dough. 
Finish: Medium. Cookie dough, vanilla, white pepper, cinnamon, hints of salt caramel. 

Comments: 

It’s got Waterford’s signature note of earthy mushrooms, but here it’s layered with sweet cookie dough, vanilla and some piquant acetone notes. Rather unique, but unbalanced.

Verdict:

I like this.

West Cork Black Cask

West Cork Black Cask

Official bottling 
Single malt - Munster
Dark bronze
40% ABV
Dram

Nose: Raisins, vanilla, molasses, orange peel, cocoa nibs, white pepper, honey. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loosens, astringent, tingly. 
Tasting:  Bitter sour. Malted grains, brown paper, molasses, yoghurt, autumn leaves, cocoa nibs, sourdough bread, hints of green tea. 
Finish: Medium. Cocoa nibs, vanilla, molasses, white pepper, hints of autumn leaves. 

Comments: 

Earthy, bitter, with some yoghurty, lactic character. Slightly loose in body, could definitely have benefited from a higher ABV. It’s a blend, not a malt, so the flavours are a little softer.

Verdict:

I like this.

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.

Waterford Lakefield 1.1

Waterford Lakefield 1.1

Official bottling 
Single malt - Munster
Light gold 
50% ABV
Dram

Nose: Yoghurt, cinder toffee, nori, mushrooms, lemon zest, fresh cut grass. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, loosens, warm, astringent. 
Tasting:  Bitter sour. Cinder toffee, cream, lemon zest, nori, malted grains, petrichor. 
Finish: Short. Mushrooms, petrichor, cinder toffee, hints of butterscotch. 

Comments: 

Eartthy and mushroomy, some cinder toffee notes. Quite similar to other Waterfords. I’m less convinced terroir matters in whisky, it’s really about distillate and wood management.

Verdict:

I like this.

Dingle Batch 5

Dingle Batch 5

Official bottling 
Single malt - Munster
Golden
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Leather, brass polish, coffee, lemon sweets, orange peel, vanilla, sultanas. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, thickens, cool, tingly. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Brass polish, lemon sweets, pears, sultanas, chocolate, honey, vanilla, hints of coffee. 
Finish: Medium. Chocolate, coffee, vanilla, pears. 

Comments: 

Sweet and complex, with a very clear flavour profile. It tastes older than it is, which bodes well for Dingle. It’s a little like Rosebank, which is high praise.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Waterford Bannow Island Edition 1.1

Waterford Bannow Island Edition 1.1

Official bottling 
Single malt - Munster
Pale golden brown 
50% ABV
Dram

Nose: Vanilla, autumn leaves, lemon zest, marshmallows, sour cream, hints of magic marker, hints of mushrooms. With water, magic marker, lemon zest, photocopy paper. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, cool, tingly, loosens. 
Tasting:  Sour. Sour cream, malted grains, raisins, lemon zest, marshmallows, cinder toffee, cinnamon, hints of mushrooms. With water, cinder toffee, vanilla, marshmallows, hints of mushrooms. 
Finish: Short. Marshmallows, cinnamon, sour cream, magic marker. 

Comments: 

I’m a little wary of Waterford after some previous experiences, but this one met expectations. Lots of sweet flavours coalesce around an earthy, slightly savoury core. Quite pleasant.

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. 

Waterford Micro Cuvée Primavera

Waterford Micro Cuvée Primavera

Official bottling 
Single malt - Munster
Bright gold
50% ABV
Dram

Nose: Toffee apples, malted grains, cinder toffee, honeycomb, cream, vanilla, hints of mushrooms. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, cool, expands, tingly. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Cream, lemon juice, cinder toffee, honeycomb, aluminium foil, marshmallows, hints of toffee apples. 
Finish: Medium. Marshmallows, vanilla, honeycomb, lemon juice, hints of mushrooms. 

Comments: 

A Waterford, better than usual, with lots of sweet notes in addition to the earthy, slightly smoky character. Some feinty metallic notes appear on the tongue, but in general it’s quite pleasant with decent complexity.

Verdict:

I like this.