Bua 7 Year Irish Single Malt - White Moscatel Finish

OHLQ pick Source unknown; Bottled by Bua Brands Limited Age - 7 years Aged in ex-bourbon barrels for 3 years Finished in ex-white Moscatel casks for 4 years 58% abv; 116 proof Original price $79.99; Sale price $47.99 Open 1 week Nose - White grape, pear, apricot, butterscotch, honeysuckle, powdered sugar, sweet malt, very light oak, and medium ethanol. Palate - Golden raisin syrup, grilled pears, peach cobbler, floral honey, white sugar, and grain. Finish is medium-long with surprisingly dry and grainy malt, unripe white grape, white pepper, flower petals, and medium ethanol. OHLQ is more than happy to oblige with my recent exploration of Scotch and Irish independent bottlers. In early 2024, OHLQ made a huge push with Irish whiskey, bringing in tons of little-known distilleries and single cask picks. Turns out, most people in Ohio want to stick to bourbon and a lot of those picks are still on the shelves. Over 100 Irish whiskeys are on clearance for 40% off, so I have been picking up a few of them recently. This Bua brand seems to be a collaboration between an Irish pub in Columbus and a company in Ireland. I could not find the distillery source, but there aren't many options in Ireland anyways. If you didn't know going in, it's clear that white Moscatel is a dessert wine. The nose and palate are so damn sweet. It almost completely disguises the alcohol content and the Irish whiskey origin on the front palate. This is enjoyable as one glass, but a bit too sweet for repeat visits. I think this type of finish is a good gateway for people who are newer to high proof Irish whiskey. I am also judging this on the original price, not the sale price. I don't think it's worth $80, but I'm fine with what I got for $48.