Steel yourself for a spicy encounter of cinnamon, cardamom, and seasoned oak spices, combining effortlessly with notes of walnut, vanilla, tropical fruits, blossom honey, and water biscuit. The flavors approach the cask-strength spicy summit with toffee, dried fruit, and apricot, followed by green melon, malted barley, and chocolate on the other side. Perfectly decent, but it occupies more familiar virgin oak territory than its contemporaries.

Reviewed by: Jonny McCormick (Spring 2022)

Floral with a perfumed bouquet, the nose picks out creamy rice pudding, ground ginger, nutmeg, cinnamon, fresh oak, caramel, and cotton candy. With a focus on fruity sweetness, vanilla fudge, and green apple notes, this peaks with clove-led spices and Red Vines, showing its high strength. As the sweetness wanes, it ends with red apple and vanilla on a short dry finish.

Reviewed by: Jonny McCormick (Spring 2022)

Named for the distillery of the same name, and where many other well-know Irish blends are produced (including Jameson, Powers, Paddy, and Tullamore Dew). This is the distillery’s ultra-premium blend offering. The whiskey is somewhat shy and bashful in personality (when compared to its pure pot still siblings like Redbreast and the quite rare Jameson 15 year old) and really takes some patience to appreciate its subtle beauty. Sweet notes of honeyed malt and vanilla up front, with a hint of marshmallow and summer fruits. The palate eventually dries out nicely and deepens, evolving into a medley of subtle spice. Very drinkable.

Reviewed by: John Hansell (Fall 2005)

Master distiller Brian Nation is really getting into his stride now. This vintage has creamed coconut, Jersey milk, vanilla desserts, crystallized jellies, fresh orange peel, and dry spices. To drink it is to celebrate American oak; creamy, golden, polished, with peach, honey, sherbet, sugars, butter frosting, sponge cupcakes, almond biscuits, and Quaker oatmeal squares. Spices are reactivated at the swallow. You have a whole year to enjoy this until the next one arrives. Really, there’s no excuse.

Reviewed by: Jonny McCormick (Winter 2015)