I, unfortunately, missed the recent Dingle sherry cask whiskey tasting with Celtic Whiskey Shop (video at bottom of post). I’ll be posting my notes for each of the expressions over the next week or so.
Appearance: Dark Auburn, almost reddish. Costs the glass well, not so many individual legs, more a total coating, which all oozes down the glass slowly.
Nose: Straight away, loads of oak, sherry and vanilla. Red apples and confectionary sugar also feature heavily.
The ethanol is very evident but actually compliments the nose, spelling out that this is a whiskey to be savoured slowly.
There are rumblings of tropical fruits too.
After the glass rests for a while, the oakiness and leather become more prominent. Old hotel lobby furniture springs to mind.
All of these aromas are encased in the lovely sherry and vanilla sweetness.
Palate: Nice and oily, good mouth feel. Minty with wood notes and butter.
Quite herbal compared to the sweetness of the nose. Coffee, tobacco and bitter chocolate also.
Chilli and white pepper add heat to the whole experience, warming the chest and leaving a tingle on the tongue. After a while, the palate becomes almost to oaky and dry for my taste.
Finish: Metallic, dry and woody. White pepper and chili leave a heat on the back of the tongue.
Overall: Incredible nose, I could sit and nose the glass all evening. The palate for me was too herbal, dry and oaky. I liked the heat but would have loved it if the sweetness from the nose translated through to the palate and finish.
The more time I took on this, the better the palate and finish got, to be fair, but it was only a sample, so not enough, maybe, for it to realise it’s true potential.
