Brand: Crested Ten
Type: Triple Distilled Irish Whiskey
Distilled by: Jameson
Distilled by: Jameson
Age: NAS (Contains 7-8 Years Old Pot Still Whiskey)
ABV: 40%
Chill-Filtration: No
Whisky Review # 578
Buying Advice: 😐 Neutral. If you like Jameson, the Crested Ten is a good option. It's nothing special though.
The Crested Ten does not improve with added Water. It simply becomes too Thin.
Chill-Filtration: No
Whisky Review # 578
Buying Advice: 😐 Neutral. If you like Jameson, the Crested Ten is a good option. It's nothing special though.
Colour: Golden (Artificially Coloured)
Nose: Sweet Cereals, Malt, Buttered Toast, Caramel, Toffee, Resin, Hay, Brown Sugar, Vanilla, Heather-Honey, Honey Melon, Dried Apricot, White Chocolate, Citrus Peel, Raisins, Nuts, Nectarine, Cinnamon, Ginger, Fresh Mint, New Oak and a hint of Dust. The Sherry casks are certainly noticeable. The Alcohol is not fully integrated but it doesn't really interfere with the Nosing procedures. On the Nose, the Crested 10 is quite pleasant and easy-going but don't expect a lot of depth and complexity. It's funny but after 15 minutes or so I thought I got a light hint of Sweaty Socks. Nothing serious though! Maybe I'm just drinking too much whisky!
Palate: The delivery is on the Thin side and the Alcohol is more noticeable now. The relative youth of the Spirit becomes quite clear now. It's mostly Sweet but with a little Bitter Herbal note towards the end. I find Sweet Cereals, Toffee, Butterscotch, Vanilla, Milk Chocolate, Resin, Straw, Heather-Honey, Toasted Oak, Melon, Orange peel, Pepper, Cinnamon, Ginger, Mint and Dried Herbs.
Finish: Short and a little Edgy. It's mostly Sweet but a little Bitterness pops up towards the end as well as a light Metallic off-note. The Alcohol is quite present here as well. I also find Sweet Cereals, Butterscotch, Vanilla, Milk Chocolate, Toffee, Nuts, Heather-Honey, Nectarine, Cherry Flavoured Candies, Melon, Charred Oak, Dusty Road, Cocoa Powder (Toddy), Pepper, Cinnamon, Mint and Ginger.
The Crested Ten does not improve with added Water. It simply becomes too Thin.
Rating: 81.5
Nose: 21 - Taste: 20 - Finish: 20 - Overall: 20.5
General Remarks: The Crested Ten was launched in 1963 and is a Blended Irish Whiskey, made with Grain Whiskey and a fairly high percentage (60%) of Single Pot-Still Whiskey, partly aged in Ex-Sherry casks and partly in Ex-Bourbon barrels. Recently the Crested Ten has been replaced by the Crested. Name, bottle and presentation are new but the Blend itself remained the same. It is priced at an average 40 US dollars (November 2016) but it's not easy to find outside Ireland.
Drinking Experience Neat: Okay/Good
General Remarks: The Crested Ten was launched in 1963 and is a Blended Irish Whiskey, made with Grain Whiskey and a fairly high percentage (60%) of Single Pot-Still Whiskey, partly aged in Ex-Sherry casks and partly in Ex-Bourbon barrels. Recently the Crested Ten has been replaced by the Crested. Name, bottle and presentation are new but the Blend itself remained the same. It is priced at an average 40 US dollars (November 2016) but it's not easy to find outside Ireland.
Drinking Experience Neat: Okay/Good
Conclusion: The Crested Ten is perfectly drinkable, even dangerously so. But it's also a little Harsh and Thin and I did find a couple of odd off-notes. It's a tad better than the standard Jameson but it suffers from something I find in almost all affordable Irish Whiskey. It completely misses the Wow factor. As soon as you swallow the stuff you have forgotten all about it. It's a drinking Whiskey but not a sipping Whiskey. If you love Jameson you can't go wrong with the Crested Ten. If you're looking for an Irish Whiskey that is a little more special, you might consider Yellow Spot, Green Spot or Redbreast.