Country: Ireland Distillery: Glendalough
Type: Pot Still
Age: 4
Cask: Ex-Bourbon, Irish Oak
ABV: 43%
Proof: 86
Price: $55
Batch: 1
Tree: 8A
Nose: Orange, green tea, grain forward, lemon zest, vanilla custard. Cloves, oak spices, cinnamon, nutmeg.
Palate: Young stone fruits, vanilla custard, white peppers in the middle with cinnamon following to the end. Oak tannins with black tea.
Finish: Warm and long but not kind. Tannic dryness with peppery finish with pomace.
Glendalough Pot Still Irish Whiskey has come on my radar this year. I have reviewed Batch 1 Tree 7 from the same expression before.
Just to remember what is special about this whiskey, read below.
This particular whiskey is aged in ex-bourbon barrels for three years and then further aged for another year in Irish oak barrels that are made from oak trees sourced from Wicklow Mountains! This Irish oak concept is the cornerstone aspect of this whiskey. We have seen this before with Midleton Dair Ghaelach. Just to warn beforehand, this will be young and robust!
Glendalough Pot Still Irish Whiskey Batch 1 Tree 8A
How Does It Taste?
This whiskey uses Tree 8A for its extra year in Irish oak and this is exactly what I am concentrated on, Tree 7 vs Tree 8A.
Like Tree 7, we have a young nose but feels lacking that intensely harsh new make tones. It still possesses the character but with much more fruit-forward impact. Orange zest with green tea leaves blended into the grain. Then lemon zest with vanilla custard. As it opens up, cloves, nutmeg and cinnamon can be felt. After a long time, shaved oak delivers itself clearly.
The palate has very raw stone fruits. Vanilla custard with a creamy texture creates a pleasant experience. Oak tannins and some black tea dry the mouth as we process. The finish is very warm and long, However, it is intense and tough. Tannic dryness and peppery finish with a feeling of pomace ends the finish.
Verdict
Just like Tree 7, I would say this is not your daily sipper. It is a little bit more refined than it with respect to the mouthfeel, however there is still some time to get around and finish a quarter of the bottle.
The nose offers a more pleasant experience than Tree 7 but finish is really strong. I am looking forward to taste more of this project in the upcoming years.
