The Irishman 12 Year Single Malt

What a delight this whiskey is! Had to track it down online since the PA Liquor stores were out of stock (thank you Remedy Liquors). Opened the bottle recently after a blue crab feast, of all things, and shared for tasting along with open bottles of Slaughter House and my personal fave, Lagavulin Distillers Edition. I was trying to provide some variety, you see, to those so inclined. The sweetness and utter easy drinking of this whisky was a pleasant surprise to my palate and everyone tasting it loved the Irishman 12. I now have another personal favorite for my collection every year. God help me! If I live another 25 years I'll be 90 and what state will my liver be in then? And do I give a damn? marked 6000/2014 8/31/18- Having a true tasting of this today for the first time since the crabs and Old Bay spice. I wish I had the nose and tastebuds of many a fine fellow on this board. But alas, I have what I have. The nose from the bottle speaks to me of sweet American Bourbons more than anything...but no strong wood accents to speak of for me. The swirl in the glass leaves thin sparse legs which upon tasting confirms to me this is a 'thin' whiskey with a lighter mouthfeel. All of the memorable action seems to come from the tasting, especially if you hold it on the tongue awhile, which is largely smooth and sweet with a definite cedar wood quality. Some of this reminds me of the I. W. Harper 15yr. which I find a good deal more substantial. For me, the finish here is not that long, and so your hand keeps raising the glass, which makes for the easy drinking earlier described. It's 86 proof but you feel as though you could drink it all in one day and still walk a straight line. I don't think I'll downgrade the rating because every whiskey has it's own worth for a slew of reasons. Pure, easy drinking is the highlight for me with this one...and as we all know there are times when that satisfying characteristic is truly desired

A balanced, Single Malt Irish Whiskey by Walsh Whiskey Distillery Co. triple distilled, aged for 12 years in a combination of ex-Bourbon & ex-Sherry casks with only 6000 bottles being made each year. It has a delicate birth with notes of milk chocolate, fried banana, soft cider apple funkiness, vanilla, cinnamon, autumn fruits & granola; while a full life adds notes of black pepper, oatmeal, custard-filled doughnuts, hints of tobacco, dates & hazelnut cream; that leads to a long death with note of fudge, cream, floral barley, black pepper & apple chips. December 2018 / January / March 2019 / September 2022

First things first: I could smell my dram of this from a good 18 inches away or so...very powerfully fragrant, especially for an Irish whiskey. The nose is bursting with ripe apple, honey, malted grain, and white pepper. The palate is full and round, a lightly sweet affair of vanilla-tinged wort bread, Sauternes, lemon zest, a bit of apple, a nip of spice and salt, and a tiny hint of bitterness at the very end. Really quite pleasant, and a perfectly easygoing dram to wrap up the weekend.

The nose is white chocolate, with some leaves as well, very pleasant and not choking The palate is a bit lighter than expected, but continues with the impression of white chocolate, with also very identifiable peach notes. Toffee sweet. The finish concentrates into an espresso with dark chocolate and some smoke. I actually really like this one, it is like a perfect digestif that ends a meal well with something smooth, a bit sweet and coffee like.

N: Rounded aromas of cocoa, maple, a bit of dark fruit and barrel char. P: Peaches and cream. Later there is mint, pepper, and some astringent fruit notes like honeydew melon. Like a bright vibrant summer salad but not overly sweet. Medium finish. The peach and pepper linger. This is the best Irish whisky I've had. One that belies Irish whisky's little brother status to Scotland's single malts. This will have permanent residence on my shelf now.

Nase: Aromen nach frischen Bourbonbarrels, würzig nach Zimt oder Nelken. Ein Duft nach frisch gebackenem Cake. Frischer werdend, wie ein Spaziergang unter Apfelbäumen, saftige Birnen und Felder voll frisch geschnittenem Heu. Geschmack: Die frischen Bourbon Barrels setzen sich durch. Fruchtig, viel Vanille und Gewürze. Vielleicht etwas Feige und Cassis. Dunklere Aromen wie schwarze Schokolade, Fudge und ein eichiger Nachklang.