HYDE No. 1 President's Cask 10 Year Sherry Cask Finish

Douglas Hyde, the 1st President of Ireland, serves as namesake of this independently bottled single malt from Cooley distillery - and he'd be proud! Hibernia Distillers presents Hyde 10 as unmistakably Irish whiskey that delivers an intense nose of ripe peaches, creamy vanilla and grassy/floral notes. The sherry finish adds chocolate and hints of spices. Fresh and substantial in the arrival, the taste develops fruity, honeyed and bittersweet before finishing with well-measured oak influence. What's missing? Well, a more affordable price tag and real character. RATING: 3.5/5.0 stars ≙ 84 pts → ABOVE AVERAGE

Notes of oak, with a touch of oak and hints of oak. This is as one-dimensional as it gets. I will admit, however, that it isn't actually unpleasant - I'm just not the type of person who is looking to pair his whisky with a 2x4 at Home Depot. As for the whole sherry thing, these were not first fill casks. Impossible, as there is barely any fruit on the palate. The bourbon on the other hand is quite evident, as honey and vanilla is present throughout. Not bad.

Reminiscent, for me, of Redbreast thanks to the sherry finish. It's spicy, full, and fruity - you can practically see unctuous, oozing, ripe dark fruit, along with dried fruits and almond. The rich, coating mouthfeel gives this a nice, long finish.

This is priced higher than it should be, but with time I have started to enjoy this. It is bright, fruity, with a little spice. It is a little too aromatic in the nose for me, but the finish brings out some good Sherry notes.

Vanilla and toasted cereal on the nose. The mouthful is rather thin, but the palate is smooth and warm, with hints of orchard fruit and honey. The finish is fruity, oaky and relatively short. Not bad, but not great.

It is well priced, well rounded, pleasing but in that way that it pleases everyone and doesn't have its own character. An excelent first dram to warm up for a night of more interesting tastes.