Clonakilty Single Batch Double Oak Finish

Rating: 14/23 I've never had Clonakilty before, but I've heard promising things, so I'm looking forward to giving this one a go! N: Light and sweet with some alcohol showing through. Marshmallows with a light oaky vanilla. Some orange as I dig in, then some slightly vegetal grain that's just a tad toasted. Not a very interesting or appealing nose, unfortunately. It smells too young. P: Sweet, with that american oak vanilla really showing through. There's an Irish whiskey oiliness going on too, along with some grain. Not much in the way of fruit, but perhaps a bit of candied orange. Also, occasional hints of white pepper. Very light tannins coming out of the white pepper. This isn't the most complex dram, nor is it particularly mature, but it's mostly clean and approachable with a nice sweetness and typical profile. F: Oaky vanilla, showing a bit more bitterness coming off of dry grain. Faint remnants of the tannins and spice. Not a very inspiring or memorable finish. - Conclusion - This is fine. It's a solid dram that's easy to sip, but it's nothing to write home about. I'm looking at a 13 or 14, most likely. Coming back to this, I'm liking the nice sweet vanilla flavor. It's clean and a bit too light, but it's elegant and easy to sip. I'm finding it to be better than Dudognon Reserve (10/23), but weak and one-note when placed alongside Dudgnon Vieille Reserve (16/23). I think that a 14 is definitely the upper limit here. It could even be a 12. This is less woody and bitter than Knappogue Castle 12 (15/23). The Knappogue Castle is fuller and more mature, with some additional nuttiness. I like the vanilla sweetness here, but there's more bite. I was about to give this a 13, but I'll let it have that 14. Honestly, this could still be a 13. Coming back for the final couple of sips, I think that a 13 to 14 is still the right score here. Thank you @jdriip for sharing!

I generally enjoy Irish whisky and I came across this one so I decided to pick it up. I have to say on my first tasting of it I was pleasantly surprised. My second tasting here I'll go a bit more in depth. Nose: Rich and fruity. Orange, citrus, kiwi (?? - strange I know but for some reason I'm getting this). Green apples and peaches are here too. You get the idea - fruit, fruit, fruit. There's a hint of leather and spice in the background. Palate: More orchard fruits, particularly green apples. There is a a really nice addition of cinnamon and baking spice reminiscent of apple crumble. There's a little sea salt hiding here as well. Finish: Quite long. Not as long and chewy as Redbreast, nor as malty. However it does linger on the sides of the tongue. There's definitely more apple crumble lingering here for some time, especially at the back of the soft palate. Overall I'm impressed with this. I did a taste next to Green Spot on my first sitting with this and I preferred Clonakilty. Good value and a nice fruity Irish. However, my heart remains with the Redbreast line!

Light, malt forward and slightly sweetened from the wine barrel aging, this is really a lovely and exceptional Irish whiskey. Warm, round, smooth and full of conviviality. The salinity you might expect from a maritime distillery is present, but only in the same way a skilled chef or mixologist would use. It’s easy to see that the master distiller uses the same approach in terms of aging, and blending the final product. This is just one pleasant experience from beginning to end. Sláinte!

NOSE Banana, honey, dried orchard fruit and vanilla candy, graham, and a touch of baking spice. Pretty standard Irish Single Malt aroma with a nice fruity sweetness. PALATE Banana, honey graham, dried orchard fruit, vanilla taffy, baking spice, and a hint of grain. Again, pretty standard, but pretty darn nice. FINISH Medium -> Banana chips, honey graham, and some spice.

Nose: Orchard fruit (apple), toasted wood Palate: Spicy ginger, black pepper, wood, nuts, gristy Finish: Short finish. Nutty, cinnamon, toasted oak. Leathery and drying on the aftertaste. Creamy mouthfeel, gluggable but ultimately a bit nondescript and forgettable. Tasty enough, 'though.

A fresh sweet nose. Subtle apple and wood notes. Taste has light ginger unsertones. Sweet vanilla and cinnamon. A long lightly spiced finish. Nice level of complexity all round.