
	Aged Spirits


	Whisky


	Brandy


	Cocktails

Fahrenheit 173 - Whisky

"The king o' drinks, as I conceive it, Talisker, Isla or Glenlivit" (R.L. Stevenson)


	Six Irish whiskeys	15 Jan 2014

Green Spot (pot still, 40%):
The nose is oaky and nutty with notes of oak shavings, dessert wine, crème brûlée and orange candy. Splintered and a little vulgar. The palate is nicer: smooth, sweet and chewy with notes of sherry, lemon and orange marmalade. The finish is dry, oaky, spicy and nutty. All in all complex with lots of flavour but not entirely convincing. Difficult to grasp. (85 p)

Yellow Spot 12 y.o. (pot still, 46%):
Fragrant, fruity, fresh nose with notes of apricot, oak shavings, linseed oil and créme caramel. Also a hint of Trinidad rum. Complex but not entirely balanced. The palate is hot but with a drop of water it's light, sweet and smooth. Complex and nicely balanced with notes of custard and orange. Develops oak and a note of marzipan. Very nice! The finish has a bit of oak and a note of vanilla but it short and disappointing. All in all it's uneven and a bit splintered. (Aged in bourbon, sherry and Malaga casks) (86 p)

Tullamore Dew 12 y.o. (blended, 40%):
Nice nose with oak, allspice, hay, citrus fruits and custard. The palate is balanced, smooth, sweet and very mild with notes of custard and honey. The finish has oak, mint and honey, also notes of apricot and peach (from the pot still component). All in all very smooth with an excellent balance. It's more-ish and goes down very easily! (87 p)

Redbreast Single Pot Still 12 y.o. (40%):
Big nose with peach, marzipan and oak. Very fruity palate with a fresh note of vanilla. Lighter than expected at first but grows richer as it develops oak and spices. The finish is fairly oaky with peach, marzipan and a note of mint. Lighter, cleaner and more easy drinking than the other expressions of Redbreast. (87 p)

Powers John's Lane 12 y.o. (pot still, 46%):
Fresh, fruity and oaky nose with the typical fruity pot still character. A little spirity without water. With water it develops almonds, marzipan, custard and more oak. Also a note of bourbon. The palate is fresh and quite fruity (orange marmalade), also custard and honey. Oaky and spicy with a dry, rye-like note. The finish has marzipan and oak. A little peppery. All in all it has lots of flavour but it's not quite balanced. It's a little splintered but entertaining and rather nice. Best with a drop of water (too hot and spicy without it). It has more power (heh) than Redbreast and Green Spot. (87 p)

Midleton Barry Crockett Legacy (pot still, 46%):
The nose is quite oaky, dense and heavy but with nice notes of marzipan and peach. The palate is unexpectedly light and smooth, subtle and balanced, with very nice notes of vanilla, peach, apricot and almonds. The finish is oaky with a note of peppermint. Very nice! All in all very nice and very more-ish. Not quite worth the price, though. (89 p)

I had high expectations of Green Spot and Yellow Spot but I was surprised that they didn't score higher than they did. It seems to me that the producers (Mitchell & Son, Dublin) try too hard with the aging in different wood types - it makes the whisky unfocused and splintered and hides most of the pot still character.

On the other hand, the Tullamore 12 was a positive surprise! It's the cheapest of these whiskies and the best value. (I wasn't sure about including it here since it's a blended whisky and all the others are pot still, but it definitely held its own.)


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Fahrenheit 173 - Whisky

Six Irish whiskeys

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