Kilbrin Irish Whiskey

The whiskey is smooth and it starts off sweet and light with a creamy element and mixed floral and apricot notes. As it moves toward the finish, some more bitter, vegetal notes come out, making for a disappointing end. There isn't much depth here, but the flavor is nice in the beginning. It reminds me of Bushmill's 21 with its creamy fruit and floral notes, Jameson with its odd flavor and smoothness, and Swift Single Malt with its subdued attitude. It could alternatively be described as Glenmorangie The Original mixed with Popov. Overallld be prepared to sip this, but I wouldn't love to do so. The difference between this and Bushmill's 21 is similar to that between Macallan 12 and Macallan Rare Cask (though the gap here is perhaps greater): they are definitely similar drinks, but one is just a lot more satisfying than the other. For its price though, this is not bad stuff.

Nose - caramel, pear, shortbread, honey, vanilla, cereal grain, floral notes, mild to moderate ethanol burn. Taste - vanilla, caramel, shortbread, cinnamon, bitter floral and herbal notes, apple, lime, almond, cereal grain, moderate alcohol bite, finishing fast and bright with caramel, bitter floral, and malty grain flavors. This tastes similar to other young, low to mid shelf Irish whisky offerings like Bushmills and Jameson, but not quite as good. It’s more akin to the quality of Tullamore DEW, which I rank below the others. Overall, it’s not bad, but rather young and very simple. There are a few aromas and flavors to easily identify it as an Irish whisky, but not much past that. This would suffice as a cheap mixer, but I recommend springing a few extra bucks for the Jameson. There’s really not much more to say about it.

Nose: Sweet fruit and honey. Some grain. Delicate amounts of flowers and spices. Palate: Faintly sweet. Honey notes blending with some malty flavor. Hints of spices. Finish: Brief but enjoyable. Honey making it nice and smooth. Some grassiness on the way down as well. Hearty and full. Overall Thoughts: This is a good one. I would place it as a beginner whiskey to be honest but I do think it has a charm to it that anyone could casually enjoy. It has the body of an Irish whiskey and it is very easy to enjoy. I wouldn’t say it’s anything to write home about but I will consider buying a slightly bigger bottle to keep around for a movie-watching whiskey.

Another normal, forgettable irish whiskey. It is not bad. Actually it almost made the 3.5 stars mark. It is just not something you will cherish or remember. Bottled at 40%abv. Golden color. On the nose it is pretty grainy. Grain whiskey, Vanilla, Fondant, Milk Chocolate. Very alcoholic; Nutty - malty. On the palate, it is very straightforward. Apple and Vanilla. Not bad, not interesting. Aftertaste feels young. Oily, Sour and Grainy. Overall this is your typical, standard irish whiskey. Nothing to see here, move along. 69 over 100.

Sourced from the Tullamore Distillery, Kilbrin shares a similar flavor profile to Tullamore DEW. You can pick up on the barrel char fairly quickly, and the soft honey vanilla notes carry you through to some tannic bitterness on the finish. This is by no means the best Irish whiskey I have ever purchased, however it is a steal for under $20. Works well as an everyday drinker or in cocktails (especially Irish coffee). I prefer it to Total Wine's other house brands (Malloy & Kavanagh), as well as Kirkland's Jameson knock off.

Nose: light to medium nose overall, honey, shortbread cookie, hint of fruit, pear, grain, light floral quality, subtle creaminess. Taste: honey, buttery cookie, almost a fruit jam or marmalade essence, lemon, hint of vanilla, hint of cream, some light barrel spice, barrel char, slightest herbal bitterness. Not overly complex. Ok for a budget friendly option.