In the latest batch from The Whisky Agency there was a good Irish Single Malt 1990 but I already told you it wasn’t my favourite. Let’s have a look at the 1998 today.
Irish Single Malt 21 yo 1998 (51,3%, The Whisky Agency, single barrel, 208 btl.)
Nose: some dusty grains at first, with hessian and old cloth. Also rapeseed oil, even engine oil, and dried herbal notes. Hints of hickory chips. Mint and heather. A whiff of women’s powder as well as greasy touches. Soft apricots in the background, as well as a hint of mango, but this is not the classic Irish profile. It’s highly unique though and very intruiging.
Mouth: much more classical now. You know, papaya, tangerines, hints of passion fruits, going to more floral verbena and pollen. Honeyed notes. Hints of potpourri. Yet alongside these fruits there’s always aoily, slightly sooty and slightly metallic undertone. Very old-school, a bit like some of these old Knappogue Castle bottles. More mundane vanilla, nuts and berries as well.
Finish: long, returning to these dusty grains, with some leafy touches, aniseed and a resinous edge.
A lovely Irish again, this time not just for the tropical fruity notes, but also for the slightly quirky, unique old-school touches. As if this were made fifty years ago. A great profile, recommended. Still available from The Whisky Exchange for instance.