It may be de rigueur for Irish whiskey brands to portray their booze as a portal to a forgotten era. That’s no surprise; whiskey distillation in Ireland dates back centuries, and to conjure the spirit of that tradition and incorporate it into modern whiskey production is to achieve a certain kind of alchemy – what appears to be a new variety of whiskey is in fact just the latest verse of a long-running epic poem.
Much of it may be marketing palaver. Still, there’s an undeniable appeal to the notion that the whiskey in your glass is similar to the whiskey sipped by your forebears.
That being said, Glendalough Distillery’s pot still Irish whiskey brings today’s drinkers a little closer to the whiskies of yore.
The Old Way
Pot still whiskey is something of a novelty these days, but that wasn’t always the case. This uniquely Irish style of whiskey dominated global markets for decades until a series of calamities decimated the Irish whiskey industry in the early 20th century. In the intervening years, drinkers’ tastes gravitated away from the full-bodied pot still whiskey variety and toward lighter, blended whiskies. And while pot still whiskey never went completely extinct, it's only in recent years that the style is making a comeback.
But it’s the use of virgin Irish oak barrels in the aging process that truly distinguishes Glendalough’s new product. After maturing for three years in American ex-bourbon casks, the whiskey spends a year in rare Irish oak. The result is an unusual flavor profile and a nod to an even older chapter of Irish history – oak trees were once plentiful in Ireland, so it’s reasonable to assume they would have been used for barrels back in the day. For the barrels used to age this whiskey, the distillery harvested trees from the nearby Wicklow mountains, contributing a true sense of place to the final product.
(One might assume that Irish oak would be easy to come by in Ireland, but apparently it’s quite rare. And you may think, well…if Irish oak trees are so precious, is cutting them down to use for whiskey barrels really the wisest idea? The distillery only uses old trees – at least 130 years old – that would otherwise fall on their own, and harvests them in a sustainable manner, planting seven oak saplings for every tree cut down.)
About the Whiskey
This is a triple-distilled, single cask whiskey with a 2:1 mashbill of malted and unmalted barley grown in Ireland. 43% ABV.
Appearance
A deep, golden hue.
Nose
Notes of oak and vanilla are prominent. The aroma is unexpectedly earthy and herbal, with a hint of leather.
Palate
Those oaky and earthy notes are joined by cocoa and baking spices, along with a bit of citrus. It’s more viscous than whiskies I’m accustomed to.
Finish
Smooth and nutty. The oak is as prominent in the finish as it was on the nose.
Info on the label leads you to a personalized video about the tree used for the barrel that aged your whiskey.
The Verdict
My familiarity with pot still whiskies is limited, and this is my first experience with whiskey aged in Irish oak, so I can honestly say I’ve never tasted anything like this. It’s more robust and herbal than most Irish whiskies, a far cry from the light and heathery flavor profile I tend to associate with the style. The Irish oak seems to contribute quite a bit of flavor, though it’s fair to wonder whether a longer overall aging process would add even more depth.
Regardless, this is a splendid whiskey with enough complexity to keep it interesting. And like any good whiskey, it reveals more of its character with every pour.
Note: I received a complimentary bottle of Pot Still Irish Whiskey for the purpose of writing a product review. No one from or associated with Glendalough Distillery influenced this content, nor was I compensated for writing it.
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