Country: Ireland
Brand: Greenore
Type: Irish Single Grain Whiskey
Age: 8 Years
Alcohol: 40%
Date: 19/07/2012
Colour: Pale Gold
Nose: Light, Medium
Sweet Nose with Young Grain, Alcohol, Acetone, Sharp Green Oak, Vanilla, Artificial
Banana Flavor and a touch of Honey. A Hint of Leather and Coco Nut Sun Tan-Oil
in the back of the glass. For a moment I thought I was back on the beach in Spain in 1970.
Great feeling! This whiskey reminds me a bit of Bourbon which is not surprising
given the high corn content.
Taste: Slightly
watery delivery with Sweet Caramel, Unripe Peach, Toffee and Wood. Traces of
Oat Porridge with Butter and Honey.
Finish: Light and
Short with some Caramel, (Slightly Bitter) Wood and Honey.
I added a bit of
water and that diminished the acetone on the Nose. I get more Vanilla, Butter
and Banana. The Nose certainly fares well with a bit of water. However, Palate
and Finish water down completely although some spicy bite pops up right at the
end. Preferably drink it neat!
Rating: 77
Nose: 20 – Taste: 19.5 – Finish: 18 – Overall: 19.5
General Remarks: Most
Grain Whiskies are used for Blends. Greenore is the only Irish Single
Grain Whiskey. It is distilled in Column Stills using Water from the Cooley
mountains and it contains 93% French Corn, Yeast and 7% Malted Barley. It matures
in First Fill used Bourbon Casks.
Drinking Experience
Straight: Okay
Conclusion: This is
certainly not a cheap whiskey at around US$ 50,- and you don’t come across it
too often. It’s not unlike a Bourbon but the difference, next to the price of
course, is that the 8 years really enhance the wood flavor to a point where it
becomes a bit too dominant. It’s also not as smooth and sweet. The Greenore is
certainly an interesting whiskey but not one I would drink on a regular basis.
Jan van den Ende July 2012
The Cooley Distillery
