This expression from Glendalough is not the first Irish whiskey to have been finished in a beer cask, but it's certainly one of the finest to date.
Dublin is arguably the most famous place in the world for stout and porter (I imagine one brand, in particular, comes to people's mind) so it's no surprise Glendalough would take advantage of that reputation and the array of great breweries in the area. In this case, the porter barrels were sourced from Dublin's 5 Lamps Brewery.
The single malt was made by double distilling roasted chocolate malt barley and was initially matured in virgin American Bourbon Oak for six years before it was moved into porter barrels for a further 12 months.
It was aged for a total period of seven years because seven is not only the number of years that St Kevin (he's the guy on the bottle) spent as a nomad the wild but it also represents a nod to the 'City of Seven Churches' he built at Glendalough.
Cocoa and toffee apples lead with toasted oak, latte and soft vanilla underneath.
Rich dark chocolate and cooked fruit emerge from a wave of black pepper and clove spice. There's a touch of mandarin here too.
The finish is long and retains the warmth and spice of the palate.
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I sometimes have a little pour of this neat when I’m drinking a cup of coffee. The coffee and this whiskey are amazing together when sipped by side by side.
Nose: sweetness of beer, vanilla, gingerbread, anise, a little bit juniper and green apples Palate: very smooth and balanced with notes of honey and wood, a little bit spicy on the tongue Finish: fruitcake, sweet-wood, a little bit oily, very short All in All: I'm very happy, I bought this one. It's a very good Irish Whiskey and the finish in Porter-Casks gives him a special flavour.
