This was our fifth Whiskey Chaps blind tasting, in which @bogsdtandarddram (there is a link to follow Greg on Twitter at the bottom of the page) became our fifth volunteer to send us three blind whisk(e)y samples to nose and taste, and to see if we could guess anything about each of them, in return we we will be sending samples in return. This is my summary of the tasting.
Blind Sample #1(Yellow)
Appearance
This whisk(e)y is mid gold in colour, it beads up on the swirl line, and slow medium legs.
Nose
This is quite punchy, fizzy with ABV, old style shoe polish, a menthol touch, seared pineapple with red berries, there’s a dustiness, dunnage, cranberries. A putty note, but really quite fruity to be honest.
Palate
More red berries for me, some darker fruits, getting lots of cranberries and a little drying. It’s quite spicy too, white pepper, hot cinnamon, ginger, there’s an earthiness at the back.
It has a pot still feel about it #thewhiskeychaps
— Dingle Graham (@Graham__Coull) March 21, 2021
Finish
Lots of fruit still, plenty of sweetness, red berries and and strawberry jam all day. Black coffee, oak and chilli’s.
The sample was
Yellow sample is @mitchellandson Green Spot Chateau Montelena, Zinfindel wine finish.#thewhiskeychaps pic.twitter.com/boCwHboih1
— Bog Standard Dram (@bogstandarddram) March 21, 2021
My thoughts
I hadn’t tried this particular version of Green Spot before, or that finish either. Greg had remembered from our Spots tasting a while ago that we’d said that we’d like to try it, now we have. I have to say that i rather enjoyed it. The slight drying note gave away that it is a wine cask finish, which i couldn’t nail on the evening to be honest. yes i really enjoyed it and would buy a bottle for myself.
Blind Sample #2 (White)
Appearance
This drop is a deeper gold, leaning to chestnut, beads up on the swirl line too, with a mixture of thin and syrupy thick legs.
Nose
Roasted chestnuts and we’ll toasted bread here, a touch of menthol, chocolate Weetabix, black cherries, oak, dark chocolate, pencil shavings, this is heavier.
Palate
Straight off there’s drying, so I’m going wine cask straight off. The darker notes from the nose continue, high cocoa content black chocolate, some tannins or char, blood Orange, cigar leaves, cranberries again, lovely and spicy with red berries again. A touch of sulphur now, just cap gun caps, 48% ABV. I’d say Sherry cask.
cap gun, yes!#thewhiskeychaps
— Bog Standard Dram (@bogstandarddram) March 21, 2021
Finish
Spicy, red fruits, hot ginger and cinnamon, coffee stout, coffee dregs, oak, drying, a little tannins, grapefruit sharpness, cranberries again, very dark chocolate. Very nice to be honest.
I’d buy a bottle mate, plenty going on and the sulphur isn’t too strong.#thewhiskeychaps
— Dram it Mick! (@StillSurreal) March 21, 2021
And the sample was
White Sample: @TeelingWhiskey Brabazon 04
— Bog Standard Dram (@bogstandarddram) March 21, 2021
Sorry @whiskeychap I wanted to give you a surprise as you really wanted to try it…#thewhiskeychaps pic.twitter.com/3c1lxfOH14
My thoughts
I believe sadly that this is the 4th and last Brabazon bottling that Teeling Whiskey are going to release, it’s such a shame. I have tried Brabazon 1, 2 and 3 and thoroughly enjoyed them all. I didn’t expect to get to try this expression, but i’m so pleased that i have, it’s another Irish Whiskey i would definitley purchase. There are so many aromas and flavours with plenty of depth, more than enough to keep me occupied.
Blind Sample #3 (Blue)
Appearance
Really quite dark, chestnut and burnished copper in colour, quite a syrupy swirl line with slow medium legs. I’m updating this to very thick and syrupy legs, gloopy.
Nose
@whiskeychap is right with um bongo, sweet tropical fruits, eucalyptus, tooth paste, also dusty, last time I remember these notes it was Powers JL12. There’s also a light cooked meat note in there, definitely guava. There’s a lovely bubble gum note in there too, hiding behind the eucalyptus.
aha, pulls you in like a sweet trap man,#thewhiskeychaps
— Bog Standard Dram (@bogstandarddram) March 21, 2021
Palate
Oh that’s slightly different, I’m sure I’ve not tried this before, very sweet initially, tropical fruits, cereals, a little menthol, dates, figs, blackcurrants, cinnamon, black currant jam in toast. And some bitterness like strong black coffee. There is another flavour I’m struggling with tbh, dandelion and burdock, that’s it, and old style cough syrup, very nice indeed.
I do like it Greg, nicely married too, nothing is screaming at you as such.
— Dram it Mick! (@StillSurreal) March 21, 2021
I’ve had to pour some more, there’s something else I can’t put my finger on yet, I’ll get it, could be later though.#thewhiskeychaps
Finish
Medium longish length, mid spicy, warming, tropical and dark fruit combo, black coffee etc much like the nose to be honest, there’s a touch of salt too, quite gentle though. Another winner for me.
And the sample was
Blue Sample: @BushmillsIRL 21yo, matured in bourbon, oloroso (well done @Graham__Coull) and madeira.
— Bog Standard Dram (@bogstandarddram) March 21, 2021
A stunner. Again you need more than a sample to discover it#thewhiskeychaps pic.twitter.com/EDmhXJsMbM
My thoughts
Another Irish Whiskey i hadn’t tried, iv’e tried the 16 year old, which was rather impressive. Greg really spoilt us here, this isn’t a cheap bottle, and it is an absolute cracker. So many aromas and flavours, so well married, even at 40% abv, it really was a privilege to try it, and a fitting last drop. If i had the funds available i would buy this, it’s a character you don’t come across too often.
Overall thoughts of the tasting
As our previous blind sample volunteers had done, Greg knocked the ball out of the park with these samples. They were our first blind Irish whiskeys so were going to be hard to identify, the main thing was that we all enjoyed the tasting, and we learned a little more.
I’d like to thank Greg again for being our 5th Blind tasting volunteer it’s been fantastic fun, and to Graham Coull, master distiller at Dingle Whiskey for also joining us with his tasting notes and thoughts. Our 6th Blind tasting will be on the 23rd of April, and our volunteers will be Ant and Nicky from @newdramdrinker (Twitter), the very good whisky Youtube reviewers, can’t wait to do it all again.
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