Masthouse Single Estate Vintage 2018

Masthouse Single Estate Vintage 2018

Official bottling
Single pot still - Kent
Golden

45% ABV
Dram

Nose: Green apples, lemon zest, honey, white grapes, cinnamon, wet stones, clay dust. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loosens, expands, tingly. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Magic marker, pear drops, green apples, lemon zest, wet stones, clay dust, hints of white pepper. 
Finish: Short. White pepper, pear drops, lemon zest, hints of wet stones. 

Comments: 

Quite an unusual pot still whisky. That bristliness is still there by its overlaid with tart notes of green apples and lemon zest, and something earthy and flinty - clay dust and wet stones. Interesting dram.

Verdict:

I like this.

Curraghmore Triple Cask Matured (bottled 2025)

Curraghmore Triple Cask Matured (bottled 2025)

Curraghmore Estate
Single pot still - Leinster
Amber copper
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Raisins, malted grains, cream, white pepper, hints of yoghurt. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, syrupy, astringent, hot. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Lemon zest, foam shrimp, malted grains, white pepper, meringues, hints of yoghurt. 
Finish: Medium. Malted grains, raisins, meringues, white pepper, gentian. 

Comments: 

Sweet, but also quite spicy and a little lactic. It’s the little pricks of white pepper as opposed to the richer pops of black pepper. It’s sweet and malty and also builds to a nice, slightly bitter finish.

Verdict:

I like this.

Glendalough Pot Still Virgin Irish Oak Batch 2

Glendalough Pot Still Virgin Oak Batch 2

Official bottling
Single pot still - Leinster
Dark gold

43% ABV
Dram

Nose: White pepper, malted grains, lemon zest, yuzu, cream, hints of white wine. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, mouth coating, cool, slightly tingly. 
Tasting:  Sour salty. Photocopy paper, malted grains, lemon zest, sea salt, yoghurt, white wine, hints of yuzu. 
Finish: Short. Sea salt, lemon zest, malted grains, white pepper, yoghurt. 

Comments: 

Quite tart and lactic, which is to me a characteristic of pot still whisky. Lost of fruity citrus notes along the edges which emphasise the sour flavours. The finish is brief, intense and a little minerally.

Verdict:

I like this.

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.

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.

The Busker Single Pot Still

The Busker Single Pot Still

Official bottling
Single malt - Leinster
Amber 
44.3% ABV
Dram

Nose: Farmyard, mushrooms, peaches, winter melons, white grapes, malted grains, cucumbers. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loosens, expands, cool. 
Tasting:  Sweet salty. Mushrooms, peaches, autumn leaves, malted grains, farmyard, white grapes, menthol, hints of roast chicken. 
Finish: Medium. Peaches, autumn leaves, farmyard, white grapes, menthol, hints of bananas. 

Comments: 

Quite feinty, with earthy notes of fermentation. Lots of mushrooms and peaches, and there’s a hint of something vegetal and savoury on the edge of the tongue. Interesting dram.

Verdict:

I like this.

Glendalough Single Cask Calvados Finish

Glendalough Single Cask Calvados Finish

Official bottling
Single pot still - Leinster
Amber gold
42% ABV
Dram

Nose: Cotton sheets, photocopy paper, apples, rye bread, pear drops, white pepper. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loosens, astringent, cool. 
Tasting:  Sour sweet. Pear drops, rye bread, white pepper, apples, golden syrup, honey, vanilla. 
Finish: Short. Malted grains, golden syrup, pear drops, apples. 

Comments: 

Feinty and loose, some fruity esters appear (that’s the Calvados cask). It’s fades to a short but intense malty, sweet finish. Enjoyable dram.

Verdict:

I like this.

Boann Single Pot Still Marsala Cask

Boann Single Pot Still Marsala Cask

Official bottling
Single pot still - Leinster 
Bright gold
47% ABV
Dram

Nose: Lemon juice, pear drops, cream, milk powder, icing sugar, hints of cinder toffee. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, loosens, tingly, warm. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Lemon juice, vanilla, icing sugar, marmalade, malted grains, toast, hints of sea salt. 
Finish: Long. Marmalade, lemon juice, cream, milk powder. 

Comments: 

Sweet, quite rich, with jammy marmalade notes. It’s lactic, but not the yoghurty sort of notes, instead it’s creamy and milky. Rather good.

Verdict:

I like this.

Teeling Single Pot Still

Teeling Single Pot Still

Official bottling
Single pot still - Leinster
Pale orange
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Orange peel, vitamin C tablets, raisins, white grapes, nutmeg, gingerbread, vanilla. 

Mouthfeel: Medium body, mouth coating, thickens, tingly. 
Tasting:  Salty sweet. Orange peel, fresh baked bread, white grapes, allspice, green tea, cinnamon, mint, hints of gingerbread. 
Finish: Short. Malted grains, white grapes, orange peel, vitamin C tablets, cinnamon. 

Comments: 

Quite citrusy, with lots of spice, especially on the back palate. It’s quite complex on the tongue, something I would not have expected for pot still whisky. This is a very good dram indeed.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Kanosuke Hioki Pot Still

Kanosuke Hioki Pot Still

Official bottling 
Single pot still - Kyushu
Pale amber 
51% ABV
Dram

Nose: Raisins, coconut cream, desiccated coconut, milk chocolate, orange peel, hints of blackberry jam. With water, orange peel, damson jam, milk chocolate, hints of vanilla. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, astringent, loosens, warm. 
Tasting:  Sweet. Raisins, blackberry jam, damson jam, milk chocolate, desiccated coconut, hints of malted grains. With water, vanilla, brown paper, milk chocolate, damson jam, blackberry jam. 
Finish: Medium. Raisins, damson jam, desiccated coconut, milk chocolate, hints of blackberry jam. 

Comments: 

Whisky from a shochu distillery and still. It’s sweet and light, tastes like liquid Bounty Bar, covered in blackberry jam. Beautifully delicate and intensely flavoured. Very good indeed. 

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.