Showing posts with label Single Malt Irish Whiskey Review. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Single Malt Irish Whiskey Review. Show all posts

Teeling Revival 12 Years Volume V (Cognac Finish) - Teeling Revival 15 Years Volume I (Rum Finish)


”I Gotta Teeling”


Whisky Review # 977

Country: Ireland 🇮🇪
Brand: Teeling Revival - Volume V
Bottled/Distilled/Matured for: Teeling Whiskey Company - 15.000 Bottles
Distilled at: Undisclosed. Most likely Ex-Cooley casks
Type: Single Malt Whiskey
Age: 12 Years
Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 46% (Double-Distilled)
Maturation: Ex-Bourbon Casks with Cognac and Brandy Cask Finish
Chill Filtration: No
Sample provided by Jan from The Netherlands. Many Thanks!
Average Price: US$ 110-130 (February 2023)
Price/Quality Ratio: 👎 Too expensive for what it offers - Nice packaging though!
Buying Advice: 😐 Good Nose. Disappointing Palate/Finish. Or maybe it's just me!

Colour: White Wine (Natural Colour)

Nose:

Please give this Teeling some time in the glass before Nosing to avoid the wafts of Alcohol. With time the Malt becomes more Mellow & Accessible. The Nose presents both Sweet and Sour notes and there's a Green feel to it. I'm not quite sure what Aromas to expect from Cognac/Brandy casks. But I get more Coconut than usual & there are some slightly "Burnt" notes as well. There's quite a lot of Fruit as well but more of the Fruitcake and Fruit Liqueur type. Not too bad and still Young & Fresh.

Main Aromas:

Sweet Barley, Vanilla, German Butter Biscuits, Honey, Coconut, Peach/Apricot filled Pastry, Green Apple, Pear, Soaked Raisins, Grass and Hay, Toasted Pineapple, Dusty Oak and Dough.
    
Supportive Aroma Accents:

Slightly Burnt Caramel, Banana, Citrus Peel, Mandarin, Grapefruit, Nectarine, Cake with Fresh Cream, Grappa, Fresh Green Herbs, Marzipan, Sour Berries, Cinnamon & Mint.


Palate:

A mix of Sweet, Bitter and Sour notes and a hint of Salt. The Alcohol is noticeable by now and there's a light Burn. It misses a bit of the Freshness of the Nose and it also becomes slightly Unbalanced. A little disappointing after the simple but not unpleasant Nose.

Main Flavours:

Toasted and Malted Barley, slightly Burnt Caramel, Vanilla, Fruit Cake with a mix of Orchard - and Tropical Fruit and topped with Cream, Grass and Hay, Fresh and Dried Herbs, Dough, Yeast, Dusty Charred Oak, Pepper, Ginger and Cloves.

Supportive Flavour Accents:

Honey, Buttered Toast, Grappa, Citrus Peel, Bitter Orange and Grapefruit, Nougat, Wax, Cinnamon, Nutmeg and Mint/Menthol.

Finish:

Middle Long. Sweet at first but with increasing Bitterness towards the Medium-Dry end. This Bitterness starts to control the other flavors after the second sip and the Alcohol is more noticeable as well at this point. The Fruit is still there but it moved to the background and lost a bit of the quality I found on the Nose. I get Toasted & Malted Barley, slightly Burnt Caramel, Toffee, Vanilla, Buttered Toast, Honey, Green Apple, Pear, Citrus Peel, Mandarin, Bitter Orange, Coconut, Nougat, Grappa, Sour Berries, Grass and Hay, Dusty Oak, Pepper, Nutmeg, Ginger and Mint/Menthol.

Drinking Advice:

Due to the size of the sample I only tasted this Teeling neat.

Rating: 7  (*******)

Nose: 7.5 - Taste: 7 - Finish: 6.5

*** Important Note with respect to Rating.

A few of my loyal readers have pointed out that every once in a while my final Rating note did not seem to be totally in line with the written text. I recognize that. When I started this Whisky Blog back in 2011, I was not at all experienced in tasting and scoring Single Malts & Blends. Looking back I realize that during the early years I probably scored the good Whiskies too low and the not so good Whiskies too high. Ever since the beginning I try to remain consequent in my rating, always comparing the outcome to the rating of comparable whiskies in terms of quality and taste and adjusting the final rating if necessary. This might lead to the discrepancy I mentioned before. As a result I have decided to use a new rating system this year. I will still give a rating for Nose, Taste and Finish but now on the scale from 1-10 whereby 1 represents the worst and 10 the best. The sum of these numbers will be divided by 3 to get the final score. I hope this new scoring makes it easier for you to understand what I thought about the whisky I'm reviewing.

If the Final score is above 8 you can safely buy the whisky in question if and when it fits your Aroma/Flavor profile. If the score is between 6 and 8 you might want to try it out in the form of a sample or if offered at a good price. Anything below 6 should be left alone when you are looking for a nice sipping whisky. You might still like it of course & I realize pricing is an important item for many whisky fans especially when you are used to enjoy whisky in a cocktail or a mixed drink. Please let me know what you think of the new rating system and leave your comments and/or suggestions.

Drinking Experience Neat: Okay/Good

Conclusion:

In 1989, John Teeling started the Cooley Distillery together with his sons Jack and Stephen. John sold the distillery in 2011 to Beam-Suntory. Part of the agreement was that Teeling retained 16.000 casks of maturing Cooley Whiskey. In 2012, Jack and Stephen founded Teeling Whiskey Company, bottling the Cooley casks under the Teeling label. Subsequently they founded a new distillery in the year 2015 in Dublin but also continue to bottle the sourced Cooley casks that have aged sufficiently.

The Teeling Revival Series I-V was introduced to celebrate the new distillery and the Revival of Irish Whiskey in general.

Why is it that I almost always have a difficult time when reviewing Irish Whiskey? Today is not an exception I'm afraid. This Teeling presents a pleasant Nose but the Palate and Finish suffer from ever increasing Bitterness and Sharp Alcohol. I also miss Balance in the latter two departments. The Spirit is Fruity by nature so we need to look at the casks to explain this Bitterness. I suspect the Spirit matured in 2nd and/or 3 Re-Fill Bourbon casks with a rather short Finish in the Cognac/Brandy casks. Perhaps it's just me but I prefer Creedence Clearwater! 

Cheers! 🥃

Jan van den Ende                                                                     February 16, 2023


====================================================


”Teeling Alright” 


Whisky Review # 978

Country: Ireland 🇮🇪
Brand: Teeling Revival - Volume I
Bottled/Distilled/Matured for: Teeling Whiskey Company - 10.000 bottles
Distilled at: Undisclosed. Probably Ex-Cooley casks
Type: Single Malt Whiskey
Age: 15 Years
Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 46% (Triple-Distilled)
Maturation: Ex-Bourbon casks with Finish in Rum barrels
Chill Filtration: No
Sample provided by Jan from The Netherlands. Many Thanks!
Average Price: US$ 250-280 (February 2023)
Price/Quality Ratio: 👎 Way too expensive for what it offers
Buying Advice: 👎 It's not bad but ridiculously expensive for an Okay Whisky.

Colour: Golden Sunlight (Natural Colour)

Nose:

Today's second Teeling also needs some time in the glass before Nosing to avoid the initial wafts of Alcohol. You need patience with this 15 Years old as well as it takes time before it releases its Aromas. And even so it remains quite timid. The Rum cask influence is limited. The Nose is mainly Sweet, accompanied by some Sour and Green notes. It's certainly not bad but not overly interesting as well. The Alcohol remains noticeable.

Main Aromas:

Sweet Toasted Barley, Vanilla, Caramel, A mix of Tropical and Citrus Fruit like Unripe Banana, Mandarin, Toasted Pineapple, Papaya, Lemon and Grapefruit, Grass & Hay, Fresh Green Herbs, Dusty Oak, Pepper and Ginger.
    
Supportive Aroma Accents:

Toffee, Honey, Buttered Toast, Coconut, Rum-Soaked Raisins, Green Apple, Floral notes, Cinnamon and Mint/Menthol.


Palate:

A mix of Sweet, Bitter and Sour notes with a sprinkle of Salt added. It starts Sweet but the Bitterness increases along the way, something I'm not too fond of. Vanilla, Malt and a mix of Tropical Fruits lead the way until at least partly absorbed by the Bitterness. The Rum cask is more noticeable and the Alcohol remains present.

Main Flavours:

Sweet Toasted Barley, Vanilla, Burnt Caramel, A Fruity mix of Unripe Banana, Pear, Papaya, Toasted Pineapple, Melon, Lemon, Grapefruit and Nectarine, Grass & Hay, Coconut, Pepper and Ginger.

Supportive Flavour Accents:

Honey, Wax, Salt, White and Brown Sugar, Tutti-Frutti Bubble-Gum, Cake & Cream, Bitter Almonds, Fresh Green Herbs, Cinnamon and a hint of White Chocolate.

Finish:

Middle-Long and slightly Hot. A noticeable Bitterness towards the Medium-Dry end. The Rum cask is more present now. I also find Sweet Toasted Barley, Vanilla, Caramel, White and Brown Sugar, Unripe Banana, Pineapple, Lemon, Grapefruit, Pear, Green Apple, Grass and Hay, Pepper, Ginger, Cinnamon and a hint of White Chocolate and Tutti-Frutti Bubble-Gum.

Drinking Advice:

Due to the size of the sample I only tasted this Teeling neat.

Rating: 6.5 (******1/2)

Nose: 7 - Taste: 6.5 - Finish: 6.5

*** Important Note with respect to Rating.

A few of my loyal readers have pointed out that every once in a while my final Rating note did not seem to be totally in line with the written text. I recognize that. When I started this Whisky Blog back in 2011, I was not at all experienced in tasting and scoring Single Malts & Blends. Looking back I realize that during the early years I probably scored the good Whiskies too low and the not so good Whiskies too high. Ever since the beginning I try to remain consequent in my rating, always comparing the outcome to the rating of comparable whiskies in terms of quality and taste and adjusting the final rating if necessary. This might lead to the discrepancy I mentioned before. As a result I have decided to use a new rating system as of today. I will still give a rating for Nose, Taste and Finish but now on the scale from 1-10 whereby 1 represents the worst and 10 the best. The sum of these numbers will be divided by 3 to get the final score. I hope this new scoring makes it easier for you to understand what I thought about the whisky I'm reviewing.

If the Final score is above 8 you can safely buy the whisky in question if and when it fits your Aroma/Flavor profile. If the score is between 6 and 8 you might want to try it out in the form of a sample or if offered at a good price. Anything below 6 should be left alone when you are looking for a nice sipping whisky. You might still like it of course & I realize pricing is an important item for many whisky fans especially when you are used to enjoy whisky in a cocktail or a mixed drink. Please let me know what you think of the new rating system and leave your comments and/or suggestions.

Drinking Experience Neat: Okay

Conclusion:

In 1989, John Teeling started the Cooley Distillery together with his sons Jack and Stephen. John sold the distillery in 2011 to Beam-Suntory. Part of the agreement was that Teeling retained 16.000 casks of ageing Cooley Whiskey. In 2012, Jack and Stephen founded Teeling Whiskey Company, bottling the Cooley casks under the Teeling label. Subsequently they founded a new distillery in the year 2015 in Dublin but also continue to bottle the sourced Cooley casks that have aged sufficiently.

The Teeling Revival Series I-V was introduced to celebrate the new distillery and the Revival of Irish Whiskey in general.

The 12 Years was not great but at least Fresh and slightly interesting. This 15 Years however is very Average, a bit Tired and a bit Boring. And that simply does not justify its High-End price despite the beautiful presentation and bottle. If I have to choose between the two I easily go with the 12 years but both are not among my preferred Irish Whiskies such as the Redbreast 12 and the Yellow Spot 12

Cheers! 🥃

Jan van den Ende                                                                   February 16, 2023


Tyrconnell 15 Years Reviews


“Last of 2019 But Not Least” 

Whisky Review # 850

Country: Ireland
Brand: Tyrconnell
Distilled at: Cooley
Type: Single Malt Single Cask Irish Whiskey - Cask #3178/92
Age: 15 Years
Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 46%
Maturation: Ex- Bourbon cask
Chill Filtration:No
Price: Around US$ 100 (December 2019)
Price/Quality Ratio: Okay.
Buying Advice: 😔It's nice but perhaps a little too expensive for what it offers.

Colour: Pale Gold/Straw (Natural Colour)

Nose:

Light, Sweet, Floral, Fruity and Buttery. The Alcohol is present so be sure not to poke your nose in the middle of the Glass right away. Slowly find your way around the edges. This will certainly enhance your Nosing experience. There's nothing really special going on here but what you get is sufficiently pleasant.

Main Aromas:

Sweet Malted Barley, Butter Kekse (German Butter Biscuits), Vanilla, Banana-Flavoured Yogurt, Green Apple, Pear, Gooseberry and Fresh Mint.
    
Supportive Aroma Accents:

Honey, Caramel, Toast, Toffee, Raisins, Herbal Tea, Coconut, Lemon, Cinnamon, Toasted Oak, Grass and Orange Juice.



Palate:

Bitter-Sweet and Creamy. It's nice but a little more Edgy than the Nose would suggest. Still I find lots of Creamy Barley, Fresh Fruit and a few Spices and Herbs.

Main Flavours:

Malted Barley, Butter Biscuits, Vanilla, Grass, Green Apple, Pear, Toasted Oak, Plum, Cinnamon, Mint Tea and Aniseed.    

Supportive Flavour Accents:

Honey, Caramel, Almonds, Nougat, Straw, Lemon, Gooseberry, Toffee, Banana-Flavoured Yogurt, Resin, Licorice and Pepper.   

Finish:

Middle-Long, Creamy, Oily & Sweet with an increasing Bitterness towards the Medium-Dry/Dry end. The Alcohol certainly remains noticeable throughout. In the Finish it reminds me a bit of Slivovitz, the East-European Plum Liqueur. I find Malted Barley, Vanilla, Toffee, Butter Biscuits, Hay & Grass, Cocoa Powder, Plum, Lemon, Gooseberry, Green Apple, Banana, Honey, Licorice, Mint and Pepper.  

Drinking Advice:

I added a bit of Water and that calms down the Alcohol. But other than that it does not improve this Tyrconnell. Better sip it neat.

Rating: 85 

Nose: 22 - Taste: 21 - Finish: 21 - Overall: 21 

Drinking Experience Neat: Good

Conclusion:

Tyrconnell is the name of an Irish race horse that won the Irish Derby in 1876 at 100-1 odds. The original distillery was founded in 1820 by Alexander Stuart but closed in 1925. The brand name was bought and reintroduced by the Cooley Distillery in 1988.

This is certainly one of the more pleasant Irish Whiskies I've tasted so far. It's pretty straightforward but the overall impression is positive. The Nose is the best part in my opinion. Palate and Finish can't quit maintain the same level but nevertheless this is a solid Tyrconnell. 


I would like to wish all my readers and their families a very Happy, Healthy and Malty 2020 and look forward to welcome you back with Review # 851 in early January!

Cheers!

Jan van den Ende                                                              December 27, 2019

That Boutique -Y 12 Years Batch 2 (2018) Review



“Half a Boy and Half a Man”

Whisky Review # 843

Country: Ireland
Brand: That Boutique-Y Whiskey Company - Batch 2 - 429 bottles
Distilled at: Unknown (Cooley or Bushmills) - Released March 2018
Type: Single Malt Irish Whiskey
Age: 12 Years
Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 48.6%
Maturation: Probably Ex-Bourbon Cask(s)
Chill Filtration: No
Price Range: Around US$ 75 (December 2019) - 0,5 Litre!
Price/Quality Ratio: 👎The Whiskey is okay but too expensive for what it offers.
Buying Advice: 😑It's not bad but it doesn't work for me personally.

Colour: Pale White Wine (Natural Colour)

Nose:

Did Batch # 2 only use Ex-Bourbon casks or is there some New Oak involved as well. I get impressions from both actually. The Nose is Grassy, Fruity and a bit Mineral. It's Sweet but not overly so. The Alcohol is noticeable. Be sure to give this Single Malt enough time in the glass before Nosing as it opens rather slowly.

Main Aromas:

Malt Biscuits, Vanilla, Grass, Wax, Paint-Thinner, Nougat, Pear, Apple, Freshly Cut Wood, Resin, Pineapple, Mixed Nuts, Fresh Herbs (Mint, Coriander, Thyme) and Green Plants.
    
Supportive Aroma Accents:

Buttered Toast, Honey, Marshmallow, Green Banana, Melon, Tangerine, Lemon, White Wine, Damp Cellar, Iron, Cinnamon, Salt, Ginger and Pepper.

Bushmills

Palate:

A mixture of Sweet, Bitter, Sour and Salty notes. It's a bit Sharp for my liking. I'm not really seduced to have another sip if you know what I mean.

Main Flavours:

Malted Barley, Vanilla, Wax, Salted Butter, Pear, Apple, Grapefruit, Pineapple, Orange, Salted Nuts (Almonds), Pepper and Ginger.

Supportive Flavour Accents:

Honey, Resin, Lemon, Plums, Melon, Nougat, Fresh Herbs, White Chocolate and Cinnamon.

Finish:

Middle-Long and slightly Sharp. Sweet, Salty, Bitter & Sour notes. Dry towards the end. I manage to identify Malted Barley, Vanilla, Honey, Wax, Grass, Butter, Salted Almonds, Nougat, Apple, Pear, Green Banana, Grapefruit, Lemon, Kiwi, Plums, Pepper, Cinnamon and Fresh Herbs.

Drinking Advice:

I added a little Water and that develops the Green notes and introduces a few Floral notes as well. The sharpness decreases on the Nose, Palate and Finish and that's a good thing. The Finish does become shorter this way and slightly Thin as well. As always, this is a very personal thing. But you can certainly add a few drops in this case.

Rating: 82.5

Nose: 21.5 - Taste: 20.5 - Finish: 20 - Overall: 20.5

Drinking Experience Neat: Okay/Good

Conclusion:

That Boutique-Y Whisky Company is a Trading Name of Atom Supplies Ltd of Tonbridge in Kent (UK). The company bottles Single Malts & Grains, Bourbon, Blended Whisky and Blended Malt Whisky using a variety of renowned distilleries and labelling their bottles with fun, informative, humorous graphics, jokes and puns.

The 12 Years I'm tasting today was bottled in March 2018. I don't really know what to write about it. I found it to be okay but not more than that. It didn't touch me neither positively nor negatively. I  just would not fancy another dram of it. The Nose is the best part. But Palate and Finish possess a few Bitter, Sour & Varnish notes that don't quite work for me. Are the casks to blame or should it have matured longer? Whatever the reason(s), I'm a bit disappointed with this or that Boutique-Y. Can't help it! And, by the way, I think it's Bushmills!!!

Cheers!

Jan van den Ende                                                              December 3, 2019

Cooley

Tipperary The Rising Review




“It’s Still a Long Way For Tipperary”

Whisky Review # 820

Country: Ireland
Brand: Tipperary The Rising - Boutique Selection - Small Batch - 1916 Bottles
Distilled at: Undisclosed - Bottled in 2016 at Tipperary Boutique Distillery
Type: Single Malt Irish Whiskey
Age: 11 Years
Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 47%
Maturation: First Fill and Refill Bourbon casks
Chill Filtration: No
Price Range: US$ 170-220 (July 2019)
Buying Advice: 😒 It's really expensive at the moment for what it offers!

Colour:

Golden (Natural Colour)

Nose:

Light and Fresh but not unpleasant. The main drivers are slightly unripe Fruit, Floral notes and Grass. The Alcohol is noticeable but does not really interfere with the Nosing procedures.

Main Aromas:

Toasted Grains, Buttered Toast, Caramel, Straw, Grass, Nectarine, Pineapple, Papaya, Green Apple, Pear and Milk Chocolate.

Supportive Aroma Accents:

Honey, Vanilla, Toffee, Brown Sugar, Melon, Banana, Lemon, Ginger Bread and a touch of White Pepper.

Related image
Palate:

Bitter-Sweet, Spicy and slightly Sour. Its relative Youth is noticeable and so is the Alcohol. There are some indifferent casks in the mix.

Main Flavours:

Toasted Grains, Roasted Nuts, Vanilla, Nectarine, Pineapple, Green Apple, Pear, Grass, Hay, Milk Chocolate, Pepper and Toasted Oak.

Supportive Flavour Accents:

Honey, Sour Grapes, Lemon, Unripe Banana, Wet Rocks, Herbal Tea, Menthol and Ginger.

Finish:

Short/Middle-Long. A mix of Sweet, Sour and some really Bitter notes that are slightly overdone. The Alcohol stings a little. This is certainly the weakest part of this Tipperary. I find Toasted Grains, Vanilla, Roasted Nuts, Toasted Oak, Sour Apples and Grapes, Pear, Grass, Honey, Pepper, Menthol and Ginger.

Drinking Advice:

The Tipperary does not improve with added Water.

Rating: 84

Nose: 21.5 - Taste: 21 - Finish: 20.5  - Overall: 21

Drinking Experience Neat: Okay/Good

Conclusion:

The Tipperary Boutique Distillery Project in Clonmel started in 2016. The idea is to distill a Single Malt Whiskey with their own Barley grown on the Ballindoney farm in the Tipperary County. As long as their own whiskey is not available, the distillery bottles Small Batch Whiskey that was produced at undisclosed Irish distilleries. These batches accurately reflect the type of Whiskey that Tipperary wants to produce in the future.

The Tipperary The Rising is not really a bad Irish Single Malt but I have to admit I'm totally indifferent to it. It's a rather Young and Edgy Whiskey that carries a Bitterness that is frankly unpleasant, especially in the Finish. The Fruit Aromas and Flavours are quite unripe and the Alcohol is noticeable throughout. This Tipperary could have done with a few extra years in good casks. If this is the desired future Whiskey of the new distillery I would advise to carefully look at the Wood Management. Good Spirit without good casks will lead to nothing. I do wish the distillery all the best for the future and I'm looking forward to review their first own Single Malt.

Cheers!

Jan van den Ende                                                                      July 15 , 2019
Related image

Hyde 10 Years Sherry Cask Finish Review


“No Need To Hyde This Whiskey”

Country: Ireland
Brand: Hyde Batch # 1 Presidential Cask (Sherry Cask Finish) 
Type: Single Malt Irish Whiskey
Age: 10 Years
ABV: 46%
Sample provided by: Hibernia Distillers, Ireland. Many Thanks!

Colour: Golden Amber

Nose: Please give this Hyde 10 Years sufficient air contact before Nosing to enable it to release its Aromas. It doesn't smell as clean as your average Triple Distilled Irish Whiskey but also not quite as complex and balanced as your average 10-12 Year old Standard Scottish Highland Single Malt. The First Fill American Oak is quite noticeable and remind me a bit of some German, Dutch and Swiss Whiskies I have nosed over the years. The Sherry Cask influence is there but it certainly does not dominate the Spirit. On the Nose, the Hyde 10 Years is mostly Sweet and Fruity but I detect some Sour accents as well. I find assorted Fruit Candies (Peach, Nectarine, Orange, Grapes, Banana, Orchard Fruit), Heather-Honey, Floral Perfume, Grass, Yeast, Buttered Croissant, Vanilla, Wood Shavings, Varnish, light Barley, Ginger Ale and hints of Dairy, Dusty Road and Fresh Mint.

Palate: Sweet at first but a little Edgy and Bitter later on. Again, the First Fill American Oak shows its presence. The Alcohol is a bit on the Strong side as well. I find Sweet Barley, Vanilla, Toffee, Butter Biscuits, Nectarine, Apricot, Orange, Banana, Grapes, Floral (Honey) notes, Pepper, Ginger and Nutmeg.  

Finish: Middle-Long. Sweet and a little Hot at first. In the end a light Dry Bitterness pops up. I find Toasted New Oak, Toasted Grain, Ginger-Bread, Toffee, Vanilla, Orange, Nectarine, light Menthol, Licorice, Pepper, Salt and a hint of Dark Chocolate.

I added a bit of Water and on the Nose the Fruity notes are reinforced. I find some additional Sweet Red Apple. The Barley is more noticeable as well. Palate and Finish do not benefit from the added Water however.

Rating: 81.5  

Nose: 20.5 – Taste: 20 – Finish: 20.5 – Overall: 20.5


General Remarks: Hibernia Distillers Ltd was founded in March 2014 by the current managers Conor and Alan Hyde. The Head Office is located in Cork. In early 2015 they released the Hyde 10 Years Presidential Cask, paying homage to Ireland's first president Douglas Hyde (1938-1945).This Irish Single Malt was double-distilled in Copper Pot Stills, using 100% Malted Irish Barley. It matured for around 10 Years in Flame-Charred First Fill Ex-Bourbon casks before being finished for around 6 months in First Fill Ex-Oloroso casks from Southern Spain. It's a limited edition with 5000 bottles only. In the meantime Batch # 2 has been released as well. It's also a 10 Year old Single Malt Whiskey, this time with an Ex-Dark Caribbean Rum cask Finish. Both expressions are not Chill-Filtered. 
As Hibernia Distillers was only founded in early 2014, they will only be able to present their own Whiskey in 3-5 years. The Spirit used for the Hyde Batch # 1 and 2 was purchased from the Cooley Distillery. The Sherry Finishing was done by Hibernia. The Hyde 10 Years Sherry Finish is not cheap at an average 60 US Dollars (January 2016).    

Drinking Experience Neat: Good  

Conclusion: The Hyde 10 Years is an interesting Whisky without any doubt. It's certainly not as Irish as many of the Irish Whiskies I have tasted so far and it's also different from Scottish and West European Whiskies. It is a combination of all of those really. It's not a very complicated Single Malt though and Sweet Fruit Candies, Virgin Oak and Floral - and Pastry notes are the main drivers. As such I find the price a bit stiff. Still, it's a good enough first effort from a brand new company. "No Need to Hyde this Whiskey". I wish Hibernia Distillers all the best for the future and look forward to their first "own" expressions in the years to come. It's good to see Ireland exploring new Whiskey roads! 

Jan van den Ende                                                                 January 21, 2016