Up next for a 'Whiskey Write Up' is an absolute gem, the award winning Clonakilty Single Batch Double Oak Finish.
This is Clonakilty's flagship of their Cask Finish Series.
It's a blend of 10 year old triple distilled malt and an 8 year old grain. Gently cut with water that has been naturally filtered through coastal rock formations. In their warehouse which looks over the Atlantic Ocean this whiskey is Matured in ex-bourbon casks, then finished in virgin American oak along with shaved, toasted and re-charred ex-red wine European oak casks (NEOC, New Era of Cask).
This makes it a very unique Whiskey being the World’s First Irish Whiskey to be finished in a NEOC cask. NEOC are ex-red wine barrels from the Bordeaux region of France. They are hand-shaved by traditional coopers, and re-toasted according to each individual distiller’s specification.
On the nose this has some beautiful soft spices coming through along with ripe green apples, a little bit of ginger and hazelnuts on the palate with a well balanced finish of vanilla sweetness and spice.
This won ‘World’s Best Blended Irish Whiskey’ at the World Whiskies Awards 2020, and it's no surprise to see why after tasting it. A delicious drop that has to be tried by Whiskey fans everywhere, in my opinion. Absolutely fantastic value in price range too, at roughly €50 per bottle.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Soft spices, vanilla, fresh cut grass, slightly perfumed, ripe apple/pear notes. Fresh leather tones.
Palate: Warm spices – cubeb pepper and ginger. Fresh cut grass, hazelnut and almond notes.
Finish: Long finish with vanilla sweetness and spices lingering on the palate.
ABV 43.6% | 70cl⠀⠀⠀⠀
For more information on this, and Clonakilty's portfolio, visit clonakiltydistillery.ie
You can find this whiskey, and all your whiskey needs, at our good friends James J Foxes via JamesFox.ie
Slán go fóill,