The Celt Irish Whiskey An Chéad Bhlás

This whiskey is independently bottled through the Celtic Whiskey Shop. “An Chéad Bhlás” means “First Taste” as this is the first small batch of The Celt which is a no-age statement, sherry cask-finished single malt from an undisclosed Irish distiller. The nose is a peculiar but unattractive amalgam of dried fruit and fire. I get raisins, prune juice, maple syrup, singeing leather, wood and rubber. Figs, sourdough, grape skin and pepper are evident on the palate, but overshadowed by an off-putting tannic salinity. The finish remains tannic, but goes further south with the unwelcome addition of slightly sour milk and a metallic twang. To be fair it hits some notes there that I’ve rarely experienced in a whiskey, but dear God no!

Extremely peaty and smokey, tastes more like a scotch than an Irish whiskey. That said, if you like the taste of scotch this is a great whiskey to try(although probably not worth the price).