Irish whiskey export sales continue their record setting pace. Estimated 2018 sales are expected to be around to 11 million, 9-liter cases. Currently around 4 bottles of Irish whiskey are sold every second somewhere in the world.
The continued growth of the Irish whiskey industry has brought a profusion of new distilleries, 16 of which are currently operating and another 15 in various stages of startup. Another half dozen or so have been announced but not yet issued licenses. There are now over 100 different expressions of Irish whiskey. That boom has also produced an acute shortage of ultra-aged Irish whiskies and rapidly rising prices for those stocks that remain.
Below are 6 recommendations of aged Irish whiskeys that represent exceptional value. Prices are average and will vary by state.
Powers John Lane 12 YO, Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey, 46% ABV, $55
John Lane is produced by Irish Distillers Ltd (IDL) at its Middleton Distillery near Cork, Ireland. Its name harkens back to one of the historic Dublin distilleries, which was closed down in the consolidation of Ireland’s whiskey distillers in the 1970s. It is matured in a combination of bourbon and Oloroso sherry casks and faithfully reproduces the style of Power’s Irish whiskey.
On the nose, it offers aromas of cooked barley, oak, old leather and dried fruit. The palate it is very smooth, with notes of sweet dried fruit, especially raisins, and a bit of fig, followed by elements of vanilla, some cinnamon, chocolate and coffee. The finish is long, nicely balanced, featuring dried fruit and hints of vanilla.
Tullamore DEW, 14 YO, Single Malt Whiskey, 41.3% ABV, $65
This is a triple distilled single malt whiskey that originated at the Bushmills Distillery in county Antrim. After 14 years in ex-bourbon casks it undergoes a complex cask finishing, utilizing casks that previously held either Oloroso sherry, port wine, or Madeira. While the Bushmills DNA is unmistakable, the innovative cask finishing does provide an unusual aroma and flavor profile.
On the nose, the whiskey offers notes of candied orange zest, along with aromas of stone fruits, tropical fruit and vanilla. On the palate, this is a big rich, creamy malt with the pronounced palate weight and creamy texture typical of whiskeys that have been finished in sweet wine casks. There are notes of baked apple, dried peach, pineapple and raisins. The sherried sweetness is pronounced and lingers on the finish.
There is also an 18 YO version, which was also sourced at Bushmills, and went through the same cask finish for periods of 6 to 12 months. This as a limited-edition release, only 2,500 bottles were produced. It’s an exceptional whiskey, even at roughly double the cost of its 14 YO sibling.
Tyrconnell 16 YO Single Malt Irish Whiskey, 46% ABV, $90
Tyrconnell is a double distilled Irish single malt produced at the Cooley distillery. The still used is small, with an exceptionally long neck, resulting in lots of copper contact and a refined, layered whiskey. On the nose, there are tropical fruit notes of banana, melon and pineapple, along with elements of vanilla and coconut.
On the palate, the whiskey is creamy and satiny smooth, with an oily viscous quality featuring a fruit cocktail of tropical fruits and oak notes in the background. The finish is long, creamy and rich, with tropical fruit notes, some cinnamon and a hint of bitterness that lingers on the palate.
Bushmills 21 YO, Single Malt Whiskey, 40% ABV, $150
An exceptional triple distilled malt whiskey that is matured in a combination of Oloroso sherry butts and ex-bourbon barrels. The whiskey is blended at 19 years and then allowed to marry for two additional years in a cask that previously held Madeira.
On the nose, there is a rich, sweet caramel aroma, followed by some spice notes of cinnamon and a bit of clove, along with dark dried fruit, chocolate and coffee. On the palate, the whiskey is creamy and smooth, almost waxy, exhibiting the velvety texture and mouth weight typical of sherry matured whiskies. There are additional notes of sweet caramel, dark dried fruit, chocolate and coffee notes, with some saddle leather and cinnamon. There is a sweet almond/marzipan element in the background, typical of Oloroso sherry matured whiskeys.
The finish is long, syrupy sweet, with notes of dried fruit and hints of mint and cinnamon. This is another low production whiskey, with only about 900 cases produced.
Redbreast 21 YO, Irish Pot Still Whiskey, 46% ABV, $250
Redbreast is another Middleton produced pot still whiskey from IDL. This was the oldest expression of Redbreast until the release of a special bottling of the 32 YO earlier this year. It remains the oldest expression in the core range.
The whiskey is matured in a combination of ex-bourbon and Oloroso sherry casks. On the nose, there are notes of dried fruit, nuts, cinnamon and some tropical fruit. On the palate, the whiskey is big, rich and creamy, with notes of mint, cinnamon, vanilla, clove and menthol, along with baked apple, mango and cooked oatmeal. The finish is exceptionally long, with notes of sweet dried fruit and a bit of pepperiness on the end.
Teeling 24 YO, Single Malt Irish Whiskey, 46% ABV, $400
This is a Cooley, double distilled Irish malt whiskey, which shares the same DNA as the Tyrconnell single malt whiskey and is among the oldest Irish malt whiskeys ever released. Only 5,000 bottles were produced. There are even rarer expressions of a 30 YO and a 34 Teeling single malt Irish whiskey. Only a few hundred bottles of each expression were produced, and they are impossibly difficult to find. The 34 YO retails for about $5,500 and the 30 YO for about $1,700. By comparison the 24 YO retails for a more modest $400.
The whiskey is matured in ex-bourbon casks and then finished in ex-Sauterne wine barrels.
On the nose, there is a distinct raisin note associated with botrytized wines, along with aromas of citrus, peach, apricots and a hint of pineapple and white chocolate. There is also a honeyed, waxy character. On the palate, the whiskey is satiny smooth with a viscous, oily quality and a pronounced palate weight. It offers flavors of raisins, dried figs, lemon zest and apricot jam, along with notes of white chocolate. There is also a bit of cooked oatmeal and digestive favors that emerge as the whiskey opens up. The finish is long and smooth, with distinctive raisin and apricot jam notes, cinnamon spice and a persistent waxy, honeyed sweetness.
These are all exceptional Irish whiskeys. Between them, they have won dozens of awards at international whiskey competitions. They all have a limited production at a time when aged warehouse stocks are getting increasingly hard to find. If you have a passion for Irish whiskey, then grab a bottle while you can, they will only be harder to find and more expensive in the future.
Sláinte
