Sometimes life is sad. You can cry in your booze, if you want. I think that s called a Whiskey Sour. Jarod Kintz, Newcomers Whisky Club March 2016
Newcomers Whisky Club March 2016 Tonight s Menu Teeling Small Batch Green Spot, Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey Jameson Caskmates, Stout Edition Hyde 10 year, President s Cask No 1, Irish Single Malt The Tyrconnell, Irish Single Malt Tullamore DEW Phoenix What s Different About Irish Whiskey? By www.smokybeast.blogspot.com Since this is our first foray into Irish whiskey, let's cover some basic ground before we jump into tasting notes. What do we look for in a stellar Irish whiskey and what makes it different from Scotch, Bourbon, etc.? Unmalted barley- Malting is a process that mimics the conditions of planting barley by soaking it in warm water. This causes the barley to begin to sprout and increases the sugar content. Heat is then applied in order to stop the malting process at the desired state. Irish whiskey (unless it's designated a "single malt Irish") tends to include both malted and unmalted barley into the mix. Scotch is made of 100% malted barley, bourbon is made primarily of corn with wheat or rye as a common secondary ingredient. The use of un-malted barley is mostly unique to Irish whiskey. Unmalted barley has less sugar and hence less sweetness, and results in a more earthy and neutral flavor. Triple-distillation - Irish whiskey is almost universally triple-distilled. Whiskey is typically double-distilled, going through a "Wash Still" which produces the first run called "Low Wines" and then a "Spirit Still" which produces the final distillate for barreling. There are exceptions: Auchentoshan is a triple-
distilled single malt scotch, Woodford Reserve is a triple-distilled bourbon. But tripledistillation is a characteristic trait of Irish whiskey. Triple-distillation adds a third "Intermediate Still" between the wash and spirit stills. The additional distillation typically removes more of the oils and "impurities" in the distillate resulting in a smoother spirit with less of the bold and envelope-pushing flavors of some whiskies. Single Pot-Still - Irish whiskey's equivalent to the "single" in single malt scotch is the "single pot still" designation. This means that the whiskey is not blended and comes exclusively from the stills of a single distillery. The single pot still tradition was mostly lost in terms of export during the twentieth century in favor of the popularity of blended whiskies like Jameson, however it's now being revived by brands like Green Spot and Redbreast. Flavor - So these ingredients and techniques define a specific desired flavor profile for Irish whiskey. The lack of peat in the process means that the whiskey is not smoky like an Islay scotch. The presence of unmalted barley means it's generally not as sweet as scotch (and not nearly as sweet as bourbon). And the tripledistillation means that it's very pure and smooth. All these attributes combine to make Irish whiskey a very distinctive taste: Incredibly smooth and somewhere in the floral / fruity category without being very sweet or spicy. About Smoky Beast SmokyBeast is penned by a whisky-loving wife and husband team in New York City. We sit down every Sunday night after our daughter goes to bed, and crack open a wellearned reward: a bottle of dark, smoky, and delicious whisky. Teeling Small Batch Bottled February 2014, 46% abv Total Wine $37.99 Few names are more firmly embedded in Irish whiskey than Teeling. Walter Teeling got into the Dublin whiskey business by starting a distillery in 1782, and the Cooley Distillery itself was founding by John Teeling in 1987, when he converted an old potato alcohol plant into a whiskey distillery. In January 2012, Jim Beam Global bought the Cooley distillery and brands Cooley is the maker of Tyrconnell, Kilbeggan and Connemara whiskeys - a move that shut the door on many an independent Irish whiskey label, since Cooley no longer intends to source whiskey for them. Beam s muscling into the Irish whiskey picture has spurred many of the micro-distillery plans in Ireland, and it also prompted Jack Teeling, the former managing director of Cooley, to start his own brand, the Teeling Whiskey Company. The Teeling Small Batch is a sourced, blended Irish whiskey, married and finished in ex-rum casks, non-chill filtered, and bottled at 46% abv. The rum casks are a particularly unusual note, as bourbon and sherry barrels are much more common in the Irish whiskey business, and most Irish whiskeys of this type are bottled at 40%. Teeling is also a small batch, one of a small handful in the current Irish whiskey market. Teeling Small Batch Irish Whiskey was first made available in the U.S. in April of 2014. Featuring a relatively higher malt to grain whiskey ratio, a slightly higher ABV, and being non-chill filtered to boot, the Teeling Small Batch provides an interesting style of Irish whiskey. Distillery Description: Our Flagship Irish whiskey and our attempt to create the most interesting Blended Irish whiskey. This small batch bottling consists of hand selected casks which are given further maturation in ex-rum barrels imparting extra character and smooth flavour unique to Irish whiskey. By bottling at 46% with no chill filtration completes an Irish whiskey of true character. Tasting Notes NOSE: An inviting nose where vanilla and spice dances with bright sweet notes of Rum. TASTE: While being very approachable the influence of the rum cask and higher
percentage alcohol creates a unique smooth, sweet, slightly woody marriage that sparkles on the tongue. FINISH: Slightly moorish, sweet spice finish complimented by woody undertones. Miscellaneous Reviews: Nose: A somewhat restrained nose, sweet but nicely balanced by earthy spice. There s brown sugar over buttered oatmeal, floral honey, dark toffee, lemonade, and a tart apple cobbler. Subtler notes of grass, both fresh-cut and dried, freshly laundered cotton, and old boards hover behind with quite a bit of youthful spice; candied ginger, vanilla bean, cinnamon candies, and faint nutmeg. Palate: Weightier than the nose, a somewhat creamy mouthfeel begins with more brown sugar, even a bit of molasses. Citrus notes of orange-tinged honey are followed by almond paste and vanilla. Those earthy, grassy notes have retreated here, leaving more grippy oak, mild peppercorn, candied ginger and hot cinnamon. Grows a little harsh towards the end. Finish: Not the longest finish in the world. More brown sugar, vanilla extract, and cinnamon, both red hots and stick. A lingering young, edgy heat is a bit too prevalent. Thoughts: A nice twist on a traditional Irish blended whiskey. The rum cask influence shows itself throughout, but never overwhelms. I typically have not been a huge fan of rum cask finished Scotch whiskies, but overall I thought rum finishing worked well with the Irish style. It s integrated well, mostly adding layers of complex sugared sweetness to the proceedings. It s clear that there s a relatively high malt content here which is certainly good, but unfortunately, it s also clear that most of the whiskies used were on the young side. I enjoyed this, but there s a sharp, rough edge to the end of the palate and finish that kept me from liking it more than I did. Still, there s certainly room for this kind of thing in the somewhat staid world of Irish blended whiskey. This is a good start, let s hope they continue to mature the idea. A little pricey, value-wise (~$40), but if you re an Irish whiskey fan, it s worth checking out. (www.thecasks.com) Nose: Sweet, cherries, fruit, toffee, holiday spices which must be coming from the rum barrels. Also has a sharpness which sticks out. Palate: Rich sweetness, smooth and silky, only a light burn with a mouth-tingling effect. Peppery. With ice/water, chewier, more richness, chocolate on the finish. Finish: Medium-length, warming, lingering wood and spice. (www.whiskyreviewer.com) Green Spot Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey, 40% abv Total Wine $55.99 Green Spot is one of the few surviving bonded Irish whiskeys made by the ubiquitous Irish Distillers Limited (originally at the Jameson Bow Street Distillery, and now at the larger facility in Midleton, where all IDL whiskeys are made) but sold by the wine merchants Mitchell & Son of Dublin, Ireland Mitchell & Son wine merchants were established in 1805; however, it is uncertain exactly when Green Spot was first produced. It is known though, that by the 1920s Jameson's Bow Street Distillery was supplying Mitchell & Son with at least 100 sherry hogsheads of pot still distilled whiskey per annum. Half of the casks used had previously held Oloroso and other darker Sherries, while the other half had held lighter finos. This was to prevent the wine from overpowering the whiskey. The whiskey was allowed to mature in the casks for five years, before being vatted and allowed to blend and mature for a further five years. It was then bottled and sold as a ten-year-old. The blend was originally known as "Pat whiskey", and the labels carried the logo of a man on a green background. The Mitchells sold a range of whiskeys under their Spot brand name. This name originated from their practice of marking casks of different ages with a daub or spot of colored paint. There was a Blue Spot, Red Spot and even a Yellow Spot, but Green Spot emerged as their most popular whiskey. When Jameson moved production from the Bow St. Distillery to the facility in Midleton, the make-up of the whiskey altered for the first time in living memory. This, coupled with low stocks of maturing whiskey, led Mitchell & Son into an agreement with Irish Distillers whereby the whiskey would be matured by the distillery in their own casks, with Mitchell & Sons having sole rights to market, sell and develop the whiskey. Today, only the Green Spot and Yellow Spot, a 12-year-old aged in three types of casks, remain of the original. Green Spot is a single pot still Irish whiskey, meaning a combination of malted and unmalted barley is distilled together (triple-distilled, in this case) in a copper pot still, like Redbreast which is also produced at the Midleton distillery by IDL. Green Spot is then aged in 75% American oak ex-bourbon barrels and 25% in sherry casks for 8-9 years, although it bears no age statement. It is likely caramel colored, chillfiltered, and bottled at 40% ABV.
Unlike most Irish Whiskeys, single pot still whiskies do not contain any column-still grain whiskey, making this style analogous to (but not the same as) single-malt. Distillery Description: Green Spot is a non-age statement Single Pot Still Irish whiskey and is comprised of Pot Still whiskey aged between 7 and 10 years in a combination of new bourbon and refill bourbon casks as well as sherry casks. Fresh aromatic oils and spices with orchard fruits and barley on a background of toasted wood. Miscellaneous Reviews: Nose: Clearly sherried. Orange peel and candied ginger. Tangy and somewhat herbal. Green pear and cotton candy. Honey-lemon throat lozenges. After a rest in the glass, there is a fibrous fruitiness, like the skin of a red delicious apple. Even further in is a faint whiff of the nutty coconut I associate with bourbon-matured pot still whiskey. Palate: Unctuous body mouth coating. Minimal burn. Spicy ginger, apple cider, and nondescript grain. Finish: Medium length, the honey and lemon lozenge remains behind as the spicy notes fade. No trace of bitterness. Simple and refreshing. (www.scotchnoob.com) Nose: Wonderful nose of fall fruits coming out of the bottle with intense apple cider and then opening up into ripe green pears. You can note the Fino, if perhaps not the Oloroso, and a whiff of the white oak behind it. Palate: All the big sweets sort of disappear for a nice warm and perfectly balanced palate. Just some touches of green grapes, a little oaky age, and some very mellow grain. Finish: Just miraculously smooth. There's not even a whisper of alcohol burn. It's not a very memorable finish in terms of lingering flavors, but this stuff is just so amazingly drinkable, you're thinking more about your next sip than about the finish of the last one. (www.smokybeast.com) Jameson Caskmates, Stout Edition Blended Irish Whiskey, 40% abv Specs, $28.41 The John Jameson and Son Irish Whiskey Company was founded in 1810 when John Jameson and his son (also John Jameson) took ownership of the Bow Street Distillery in Dublin. Jameson, a Scottish lawyer, married Margaret Haig, a sister of the Haig brothers who owned the Haig distilleries and who was a first cousin of the Steins, a Scottish distilling family with significant distilling interests in Scotland and Dublin. On his marriage to Margaret Haig in 1786, Jameson moved to Dublin to manage the Stein's Bow Street Distillery (which had been established in 1780). This explains the use of the year 1780 in Jameson marketing as the Bow Street Distillery was where Jameson Irish Whiskey was born. Originally one of the six main Dublin Whiskeys, Jameson is now distilled at the Midleton Distillery in Cork. In 2013, annual sales topped 4.7 million cases (56.4 million bottles). Jameson is by far the best selling Irish whiskey in the world, as it has been sold internationally since the early 19th century. Distillery Description: Two heads are said to be better than one, and this whiskey adds serious weight to that argument. Emerging from a conversation between our head distiller and the head brewer of Cork s Franciscan Well Brewery, Jameson Caskmates has been finished in stout-seasoned whiskey casks. While our triple-distilled smoothness is very much intact, notes of cocoa, coffee and butterscotch confirm the stout influence. Caskmates is a head-turning, modern Irish whiskey. Nose: crisp orchard fruits like green apples and pears, mild pot still spices. Taste: Subtle touch of hops and cocoa beans, Marzipan and charred oak. Finish: Long and sweet with Milk Chocolate and Butterscotch.
Miscellaneous Reviews: Nose: The initial aroma of freshly mown Hay is complimented by a crisp Orchard Fruit character, Green Apples and Pears along with a twist of Lime Zest. Mild Pot Still Spices appear, deepening from Green Tea to Hazel Nut and Milk Chocolate. The lingering Hop influence combines effortlessly with Toasted Oak and Barley Grains to form a solid base. Taste: As expected, there is the initial sweet mouth coating typical of the Irish Pot Still Whiskey inclusion. Then the effect of the Beer Cask finish becomes apparent with the subtle touch of Hops and Cocoa Beans. Some Marzipan and Charred Oak add to the complexity. Finish: Long and sweet with Milk Chocolate and Butterscotch. (www.thewhiskeywash.com) The colour is a deep golden yellow and the nose has immediate heavy aromas of butterscotch and vanilla. It smells delicious especially once further aromas of cocoa, cinnamon and milky coffee come through. Hints of treacle and ginger add further depth. On the palate, the whiskey feels soft and gentle. It has a lovely viscous quality that coats the mouth. The initial notes are of butterscotch, black treacle, vanilla and a pinch of cocoa powder but there are also some wonderfully warming wood spices that compliment them - think of cinnamon, nutmeg and all-spice in particular. Other notes then begin to develop, especially some malty cereals and dried mango, and these add depth and further structure to the whiskey. There is a nuttiness also that is most reminiscent of hazelnut praline. As it progresses towards the finish, the milky coffee element from the nose evolves and is joined by hints of milk chocolate and bitter candied lemon. The finish is relatively long, sweet and soft. The warming wood spices come through and balance the sweetness very well towards the end and the mix of butterscotch, coffee and treacle is superb. (www.whiskyforeveryone.com) Hyde 10 yo Irish Single Malt Whisky, President s Cask No 1 Bottled 2015, 46% abv Specs $68.41 Hyde 10 year old No. 1 Presidents Cask is a single malt Irish whiskey by Hibernia Distillers, whose headquarters is located in Cork. Founded in March 2014 by the current managers Conor and Alan Hyde. Hibernia released their first whiskey, the Hyde 10 Years Presidential Cask, which pays homage to Ireland's first president Douglas Hyde (1938-1945). Given that Hibernia Distillers was only founded in 2014, means that the Spirit used for the Hyde President s Cask # 1 was sourced from other distilleries in this case, the Cooley Distillery. Sourcing whiskies for initial releases from other distilleries is a familiar business model for many of the new Irish whiskey companies, like Teeling or Walsh Whiskey. Hibernia has begun distilling and maturing their own distilled spirits, but a true Hyde whiskey won t hit the markets until 2017 or later. The Hyde President s Cask Batch #1 is an Irish Single Malt whiskey, bottled at 46% abv and is non-chill filtered. The release of this whiskey is limited to 5,000 bottles, which are individually numbered. The name Hyde that s associated with it, by the way, is not only tied to Ireland s first president, one Douglas Hyde, but also the last name of several individuals who helped to bring it to market. Hibernia has now also released Batch # 2. It is also a 10 Year old Single Malt Whiskey, this time with an Ex-Dark Caribbean Rum cask Finish. Distillery Description: Hyde Whiskey President s Batch #1 is 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.
Miscellaneous Reviews: Nose: Quite mellow, yet good. Smooth sherry notes with apricot and hints of licorice. Barley and oak are present as well. Promising start. Taste: Malty and warm, hints of warming spices. Dry oak along with dried fruits and a bitter floral feel. Needs few drops of water and some air to get better. After that, the malt gets sweeter and nice fruit and sherry notes rise from the back. Like orange marmalade with wee smoke buried very, very deep. Finish: Long and dry finish. Dryness goes away bit, when added water. Licorice and pepper, along with warming spices make a nice aftertaste. Sherry and oak are present as well. Balance: Quite nice dram when you really get to know it. Arrange time (and water) for this whiskey. I found that the nose was actually better without water, but the taste got lot better with few drops. So my tip would be: first, lots of sniffing, then some water dripping. Enjoy it with patience. (www.whiskyrant.com) Nose: A delightfully creamy nose on the start. Choux pastries with vanilla custard. Sour white grapes, oranges and ginger. Sweet lemon marmalade. Muesli with honey and a whiff of menthol. Whole grain gingerbread. Water gives a bit more oak and butter milk on the nose. It's less sweet with notes of green apple and fresh passion fruits. Honey and cinnamon take off the edges. Taste: Sweet yet spicy on the palate. Honey and cereal bars with pepper. Rye bread with honey and vanilla. Lovely, and maybe typical Irish, creamy mouthfeel. Water has very little influence. There's a bit of chocolate and a little nutty side to it. Fresh hazelnuts. Finish: The aftertaste is pretty much a continuation of the palate. Sweet and spicy with plenty of malt. Crispy bread crust with flakes of chocolate. (www.tastydram.blogspot.com) The Tyrconnell Single Malt Irish Whisky Bottled 2014, 40% abv Specs $37.36 Originally produced by The Watts distillery, which dates back to 1762 and had a proud tradition of producing good whiskies, Tyrconnell Single Malt Irish Whiskey is an historic Irish whiskey brand from the 1900 s named after a horse owned by the Watt family that won a legendary race at odds of 100 to 1. Tyrconnell was the Watt Distillery flagship brand and a best seller in the United States before Prohibition. Andrew A. Watt's distillery dates back to the glory whiskey days in Co. Derry in the North of Ireland. The Watt influence in Derry became substantial in 1839 when wine and spirit merchant Andrew A Watt bought the Waterside Distillery located in the Abbey Street area. One of the most significant decisions taken was to install the Coffey still, which was personally installed under Aeneas Coffey s supervision. It proved to be a shrewd move as before long Abbey Street was the largest distillery on the island, capable of producing 2,000,000 gallons of whiskey a year. Before Prohibition, Tyrconnell was one of the biggest selling whiskey brands in the US. Pre-prohibition photos of Yankee stadium in New York show Tyrconnell billboards in positions of prominence at the venue. Tyrconnell and Andrew A Watts enjoyed great success in the export sector; sales in England, Canada, Australia, Nigeria, The West Indies and the US put Derry on the commercial map of the world. By the turn of the century Watt amalgamated his interest with two other Belfast distilleries to form United Distillers Company. Things worked perfectly leveraging on their economies of scale until conflict arose between UDC and Scottish giants DCL based in Edinburgh. This was the beginning of the end for the huge Derry operation and Andrew Watt was forced to close the doors in 1925. The brands remained dormant until 1988 when Cooley Distillery acquired the old brand and resurrected this historical Irish whiskey. Distillery Description: The Tyrconnell has been embraced by whiskey lovers around the world (including the US again) and is the fastest growing Irish Single Malt. Made from 100% malted barley in traditional
copper pot stills Tyrconnell has a beautiful fresh, fruity bouquet with a smooth sweet taste and a delicate dry finish. Nose: Full and fruity aroma with a citrus spiciness taste. Taste: Well-structured with honey notes hanging from the nose. A tang of oranges and lemons, a strong malt presence that balances well with the oily sweetness. Finish: A long finish with the malt becoming more dominant to the end without the soft fruits and honey, which helped make up the middle. Miscellaneous Reviews: Nose: Salted butter, fresh seaweed, and grapefruit. Laphroaig signature peat is there, but softer than usual and far less medicinal. Hints of almond nuttiness, and sweet oak. Texture: Light, slightly oily. Taste: Peat and rich smoke, but herbal peat rather than medicinal. Sea salt and pepper, and hints of tobacco. Something sour and slightly bitter, dried grapefruit, tamarind? Not as sweet as the nose, more dry and slightly bitter. Finish: Soft and light, but also quite long. Salted caramel and butter. Light peat and smoke clinging to life, and holding on for quite some time. Becomes more dry and mouthwatering towards the end. (www.peatedperfection.com) The Nose: Soft, floral, and fruity nose. Light molasses and creamy grain balance well with red delicious apples and tart lemon icing on lemon-vanilla cake. Just a touch spirit-y, not off-putting though, it comes across as a subtle hint of candied licorice beneath the stronger notes. The Palate: Wonderful, honeyed, slightly syrupy entry with apples and crisp, toasted rye bread-like grain which brings a subtle spiciness while juicy citrus notes bring a nice mouthwatering acidity. Towards the end, there are faint cocoa nib hints that add a mild earthiness. The Finish: Medium-ish, the spicy dies off pretty quickly, the cocoa, honey and citrus lingers a bit longer. Thoughts: A very pleasant Irish, it s subtly complex and delivers a really nicely structured and balanced mix of grain and fruit. Because it s a single malt, I was expecting a bit more weight, there are definitely richer, bigger Irish whiskies out there. Still, this is a delicious, smooth, really drinkable malt and would be a great after-dinner dram for a warm summer evening. (www.thecasks.com) Tullamore DEW Phoenix Bottle 15 of 22044, 55% abv Total Wine $47.99 Tullamore Dew is a brand of blended Irish whiskey produced by William Grant & Sons. It was originally produced in Tullamore, County Offaly, Ireland starting in 1829. However, in 1950 the distillery closed down and it began production in Midleton, County Cork. In 2014, a new distillery in the outskirts of Tullamore was opened bringing production back to the town. The name derives from the initials of an early manager of the concern, Mr. Daniel E. Williams (abbreviated "D. E. W." and merged to form "Dew"). Formerly owned and marketed by the Irish company, C&C Group, the label was sold to the Scottish Company William Grant & Sons in 2010.from the True Character and insisted that his whiskey was made accordingly. The distillery was founded by Michael Molloy in 1829. When Molloy died, Bernard Daly took charge of the business. General manager Daniel E. Williams' initials gave the whiskey its name. In 1953, the brand was sold to Powers and the Tullamore distillery was closed, with its production moved, along with that of Jameson, Powers, Paddy and the rest of the Irish Distillers products, to the New Midleton Distillery in county Cork. The brand was purchased in 1994 by the C&C Group plc. In 2010 C&C sold Tullamore Dew to William Grant & Sons in a 300 million deal. Most of the current product is made at the New Midleton Distillery. After the acquisition, Grant & Sons Ltd. announced that it planned to invest in a new state-of-the-art pot-still whiskey and malt whiskey distillery in Tullamore, which would bring whiskey production back to the town for the first time since the original distillery closed in 1954. As of 2013, the whiskey currently sells about 850,000 cases per year (an amount that has doubled since 2005). Distillery Description: Tullamore D.E.W. Phoenix is an expression of the great history of our town and a celebration of our people. In 1785, Tullamore witnessed a devastating hot-air balloon accident. The resulting blaze nearly destroyed the town but immeasurably strengthened her people. Since that day, they placed a phoenix in the town s coat of arms. Driven by their positive spirit, the town s renaissance in the ensuing decades saw the establishment of the Tullamore distillery in 1829. It is a triple distilled blend of all three types of Irish whiskey; golden grain, malt and pure pot still whiskey. It is characterized by its high content pot still whiskey finished in old Oloroso sherry casks and comes to you at 55% ABV. Tullamore D.E.W. Phoenix is a
medium bodied whiskey, with distinctive sherry notes and pleasantly spicy creamy pot still whiskey flavours nicely balanced. NOSE: Warm and spicy initially, then rich, toffee, vanilla notes become evident. The characteristic leafy, malty notes of Tullamore D.E.W. are enriched with deeper, toasted oak aroma and a hint of sherry nuttiness. TASTE: The higher strength tingles on the tongue leaving a spicy pot still flavour. Addition of a little water releases layers of caramel sweetness, delicate floral notes and oak tannins. FINISH: Long lasting with a lingering warmth. A perfect balance of Oloroso sherry sweetness and spicy creamy pot still. Miscellaneous Reviews: A liquid gold, buttery tone in the glass, Tullamore D.E.W. promises the classic Irish style of triple distillation. Boiled sugar and nut brittle, as well as warm butter on toast complement the sweet, airy quality of the nose. After some time, grassiness appears. Buttered toast and hairspray are the lasting impression given. The combination of malted and unmalted barley present in the blend used pop out immediately on the palate. This is an entirely different expression of what barley can be than a typical unpeated Scotch whisky. A soft, light mouthfeel and taste make Tullamore incredibly accessible. The buttered toast on the nose comes through, almost transforming into buttered pancakes with bright, crisp fruit, like green apple and unripe pear. Charcoal rounds out the incredibly clean lines of this whiskey before it finishes with a slightly warming, clean finish. (www.thewhiskeywash.com) Nose: Delightful peaches & cream, vanilla, slightly custard, barley malt softness, with citrus, sweet, honey, caramel, vanilla, chocolate, orange, lemon, banana, & infused with spices. Taste: Wonderfully smooth yet complex, creamy yet fruity with notes of caramel and Manuka honey, apricot, plumb, and a silky malt texture. Finish: Rich, Spicy, & Oaky. It lingers in the mouth with a long rich finish. (www.thewhiskeywash.com)