Irishman Single Malt

There’s some products out there that are named in such a way that we wonder if they are a gimmick or not. For instance, the same company that makes Irishman Single Malt also makes Writers Tears.

And upon learning that, you’d assume they sell those whisky bottles in the tourists shop in the shape of a leprechaun and taste like vodka with oak extract. I wouldn’t blame you.

However it turns out that they actually give a shit, and just have some good names. Surprising, eh?

The Irishman Single Malt is triple distilled, thus it contains unmalted and malted barley. It’s aged in both sherry and bourbon casks for over 10 years. They bring it out in small batches ensuring there’s no more than 1000 bottles per to allow for quality.

Hey, I’ve enjoyed Writers Tears, so why not try one from the other side of the distillery. I assume. Who knows, maybe they let them talk to one another.

I know I wouldn’t, but they’re nicer than me.

Let’s see how this tastes, shall we?

Price: N/A at the LCBO

Region: Ireland

Bottle No. AJ 0779

Cask Types: Ex-bourbon & Ex-sherry casks

Abv: 40%

Colour: 5Y 8/8

Nose: Green banana, grassy, peach, faint butter, passion fruit

Fruit forward, but that underipe fruit that goes with grass notes. Faint butter in the background. With the butter was stronger here, would add a lot to this dram.

Granted maybe barring them from talking to the Writers Tears people was mean and there’d be more butter otherwise.

Taste: Banana, wood, peach syrup, gravel, French fries

Less green bananas now and more fully developed bananas. Lock the Irishman people from the crying writers people again, it’s working!

There’s some nice starch and fat on the taste. Unfortunately also some gravel flavour which shows up every so often. If you’re wondering what that tastes like, go like the ground.

Finish: Peach, arugula, caramel, heather, mandarin orange

Fruit, peppery, and sweet. Too sweet, if I’m being honest. It tastes like the sherry casks have taken the centre stage. And pushed out some of the other parts. But forgot the grass notes. And now are scratching their heads.

Conclusion: Interesting. I think this needs more time to develop some of the great flavours. 10 years is a good start, and if this was the right price and I didn’t live in a country where finding whiskey is harder than finding weed.

That said, this is a nice daily sipper. It’s not too out there, has some interesting flavours, and does things differently. I feel the finish needs work, and the nose does too, but it’s a good first start. Good job, Walsh Whiskey Distillery.

Maybe let the people talk to one another now.

76/100

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