Powers Three Swallow Single Pot Still

This is a long overdue follow-up to my review of the John’s Lane that I could only guess that I wrote about 5 years ago. That truly was a top tier Irish whiskey. While I don’t have the same expectations for this one, it does hail from the same line, so I’m hoping it makes an impression nonetheless. Nose: Honey, toffee, vanilla, and shortbread cookie. Apricot, apple, and pear. Vanilla frosting. Walnut and toasted almond. Some banana and pineapple. Welch’s White Grape Juice. Black pepper, clove, and nutmeg. Palate: More of the honey, toffee, vanilla, and shortbread cookie, backed up by some caramel, brown sugar, and toasted almond. Golden raisin and plum. Date and fig. Some dark grape and raspberry. Pineapple. Custard. Some more of that Welch’s White Grape. Orange citrus, pear, apricot, apple. Floral notes. Finish: Toffee, honey, and malt. Vanilla, milk chocolate, and caramel. Grape, date, fig, and raisin. Pineapple. A nice cinnamon burn. Clove, nutmeg, and oak. Moderate length. Solid. It’s a fun Irish whiskey that plays to the average Scotch drinker’s enjoyment of a bourbon-aged, sherry-finished malt. Only this time it’s a Pot Still. This carries the flagship Powers flavor profile, though the Olorosso presence provides a nice layer to the otherwise mild confectionary profile that Powers puts forward. I prefer this to the Gold. The Olorosso adds an element of depth that gives this the edge over the entry-level offering. But at almost double the price, my score for the Gold is slightly higher when factoring VFM. It should go without saying that this doesn’t hold a candle to the John’s Lane. Enjoyable whiskey nonetheless and solid in its own right. 3.75/5.

I'm not an expert. That said... Neat ---- Alcohol present on the nose. I could not distinguish the notes at first. Later I could smell caramel and ripe bananas/pears or green apple. I could not distinguish very well. On the palate is spicy at first. When it reaches the side of the tongue is sweet and pleasant. The green apple and coconut hints are more present. The finish felt short and somewhat dry and refreshing. With water ---------- On the nose: the alcohol is gone. The scent of ripe bananas/pears and green apple is much much more strong. Almost resembles almond extract. On the palate: spiciness is gone, at first. Becomes sweeter and the ripe fruit taste diminishes but it is still present. The coconut however only appears at the end while the liquid is still in mouth slayer with the spiciness. The finish is short, not much to say. My verdict is that this is an verage whiskey: not bad at all, but far from the best I have before neither does worth the regular price tag (as per today €50). I will definitely buy again if I find another discount.

86.4 proof. Sweet aromatic nose. Vanilla frosting and vanilla wafer cookies. A tiny amount of grain on the nose. On the palate, the sweetness is realized with a little heartier amount of grain (baked bread with butter). It is sweet and light, without much depth. Mouthfeel is decent for the low proof. The finish is okay, with pot spices coming through a tad, with the lingering vanilla sweetness following it up, but not lasting very long. In conclusion, this drinks perfectly fine. It is nothing to write home about, and certainly could not stand up to a cocktail or Irish coffee. The asking price, and value for money, is just not good enough to justify. Knappogue castle 12 is actually a few dollars cheaper. And if you want something truly excellent seek out a Knappogue castle 12 barrel select as they are a few proof point higher.

A lovely honey color. The aroma is vanilla cake frosting; creamy and sugary. Shortbread cookie, as expected. There is a definite lemon extract adding a puckery nose; lemon-ish adjunct aroma, like a less-tart Lemonhead candy. Taste: Vanilla cake, shortbread, lemon drop, coffee creamer. Once you get past the initial burn, it's a creamy and vanilla-y taste that is so mild and friendly. Stewed apple. Even the finish has a vanilla frosting component. The lemon pucker lingers on the front of the tongue. The burn in the back of the tongue is wood barrel, with a puckery tannin that dovetails nicely with the lemon/citric stuff. The barrel wood comes out of nowhere. Touch of cinnamon at the end, which may be what's adding the unexpected burn. It's very pleasant and sweet, with a surprisingly challenging coda.

The Three Swallow whiskey from Powers is a decent value for a category that has seen prices increase lately. Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey can be amazing. This particular whiskey is alright. The whiskey itself is elegant, but subdued with hints of apple and vanilla. There’s a vague European oak spice, but the most prominent flavor is cream. It’s pleasant enough, but it may not do enough to stand out in a category that is quickly growing. *Note: I score from 0-5 with 0 being the worst whiskey possible, 2.5 being average, and 5 being the most sublime nectar of the gods.

Found this recommendation from my readings. My shopkeeper said it was an underrated gem. Let's see about that. Nose is subtle, but sweet. Apples and cloves seem to peek through. The taste brings more apple pie notes with a slight cinnamon burn. The burn seems to linger more on the tongue than the throat as most whiskey. I have generally been drawn to more of the finished Irish Whiskeys, but this is a very nice pour. At the price point it is a decent value as well.