We’ll publish a small series of Irish whiskey if you don’t mind. There’s a sudden wave of (undisclosed) Irish single malt releases – a lot of them from the 1988-1991 period but also younger versions. We can’t be against that of course – most of them are attractive tropical fruit bombs.
Some suggest a link between these casks and the growing activities of the Teeling family. Also it’s becoming clear that a lot of them are probably Bushmills production.
That guess makes sense, especially for two new releases by The Nectar of the Daily Drams together with La Maison du Whisky. Why? Because they’re matured in rum casks, something that has only been done in Ireland by Bushmills as far as I know.
Today we’re trying the Irish single malt 1989, tomorrow its younger brother distilled in 1991. Both were presented at the recent Whisky Live in Paris.
Irish Single Malt Whiskey 24 yo 1989 (42,2%, The Nectar of the Daily Drams & La Maison du Whisky 2014, rum cask #16262)
Irish Single Malt Whiskey 24 yo 1989 (42,2%, The Nectar of the Daily Drams & La Maison du Whisky 2014, rum cask #16262)Nose: very creamy, with lots of vanilla crème. Banana, juicy pear, ripe mango and golden raisins. Faint hints of marshmallow and marzipan. Some buttery notes in the background, as well as a sharper note (white balsamic). Floral notes, pollen.
Mouth: an explosion of tropical fruits, although I think the Irish Malt 1988 TWA beats it in terms of fruitiness. Mango, banana, maracuja. Some bramble. After a while, there’s a slight grassy sharpness as well as a fragrant hint of bergamot. Liquorice. Soft caramel. Hints of green tea.
Finish: long, the oak is more clear now, there’s a soft pepperiness but also lingering fruits.
Good stuff. This one is particularly great on the palate. On the nose I have some difficulty with the sharper edges. Around € 190.
Score: 90/100