Glendalough Black Pitts Single Malt 7 year old 46%
Sourced spirit from Cooley aged 7 years in American oak, finished in Black Pitts porter casks.
Tasted: Mar 2018
An intensely herbal nose with stouty, chocolaty notes. The herbal character becomes quite edgy and botanical with a juniper/ minty note. Hints of malt, treacle, barley and nutty American oak follow. Very unusual.
The palate is malty, stouty and chocolaty with barley and botanical herbs – juniper, sage and mint. It’s balanced by a lovely barley intensity on the middle, along with hints of vanilla and bitter oak notes. Long, with lingering stout, treacle and malt.
Glendalough Single Malt Whisky 13 year old 46%
Spirit sourced from Cooley.
Tasted: Mar 2015
Nose: A crisp, grainy almost pot still spicy nose. Beautifully spiced and fleshy with banana, apricot, barley and creamy vanilla. With time the aromas become oilier and hints of spiced orange rind and coffee appear.
Palate: Quite a barley led opening with soft vanilla oak. Hints of honey and again the pot still-esque spiciness. Superb intensity with juicy citrus and coffee notes coming through.
Finish: Long and spicy with the barley and fleshy fruit lingering.
Conclusion: Now this is the sort of whisky that excites me. Complex and full of character. Has some unmalted barley been used here as it replicates the Irish pot still character rather well. [Tasted blind for edition 127 of the Whisky Magazine]
Glendalough Mizunara Finish 13 year old 46%
Sourced spirit from Cooley aged 13 years in first fill American oak, finished for around a year in Mizunara oak puncheons.
Tasted: Mar 2018
The nose opens with an intensity of sappy and grainy green oak and creamy toffee/coconut. Hints of barley, honey and subtle pine notes follow. It develops a slight acerbic note, but in truth that adds to the character. With time some lovely, mature, lightly oxidised fruit appears.
The palate opens with the barley and sappy oak. Soft honey, malt and nutty vanilla follows. Quite full and malty on the middle with an intriguing herbal character with what appears to be a touch of pine and clover. Long and juicy with the returning sappy oak, malt, chocolate and wood spice. Very entertaining and strangely addictive!
Whisky According to Chris Whiskyman 