McConnell’s Irish Whisky was apparently very popular before I was born. Up until 1958 it was known world wide as a solid Irish Whiskey choice. The dram that is available now in 2020 may not be what’s available in a few years. Why? Conecuh Brands is working with Great Northern Distillery until a new, dedicated facility is built, which will be the future source of these bottles.
The current dram is a blend of 5 year and younger whiskeys, or if you want to be true to the McConnell’s branding, whisky.
McConnell’s Irish Whisky
The Nose
I poured way too much into this Glencairn Whisky Glass! Oh well, I guess I’ll have to sip it down a little first. The nose is pleasant. It’s light and full of cereal and malt and is quite enjoyable on the nose.
The Palate
The first note on the pallet is sweet and malty but its quickly overpowered with a bit of alcohol burn that really shows this whiskeys rough edges on the finish.
The Score – McConnell’s Irish Whisky
Overall this is Sip Worthy, but only barely. McConnell’s Irish Whisky scored a 66/100
Color
Deep golden yellow.
Proof
42.0% ABV | 84 Proof
Pros:
Dirt cheap. I picked up this bottle for $25.
Great budget bottle if you want quantity over quality.
There are some sweet butter cookies under the rougher edges of the dram.
Cons:
The first note on the tongue is sweet followed by butter cookies, but instead of lingering, its quickly overpowered.
Uncle Nearest 1856 has created a lot of stir over the last two years by winning multiple awards and having an ever growing number of sippers recommend it to their fellows, which is exactly how I ended up with a bottle in my hands. Several friends had mentioned Uncle nearest 1856 to me, but up until this week I’d never seen a bottle on a shelf, so when I did, I grabbed it, even though I was really looking for Brut for my wife to make mimosas on Kmiss morn.
Uncle Nearest 1856
2019 & 2020 Most-Awarded American Whiskey
Uncle Nearest 1856 is a blended Tennessee Whiskey with some big shoes to fill. According to their website:
Uncle Nearest is the most awarded new American premium whiskey brand in United States history, garnering 75 awards since its July 2017 debut, including being one of two brands named “World’s Best” at Whisky Magazine’s 2019 World Whiskies Awards, and earning 15 Best in Class. Cigar & Spirits Magazine also named Uncle Nearest one of the “Top 5 Whiskies in the World.”
Did it live up to the hype?
The Nose
Let’s start with the nose. The first thing you will get when you put this Uncle Nearest 1856 to your nose is alcohol burn. You can really smell that 100 Proof, but the good news is that just beneath that is a swirling, complex nose that fills your olfactory nerves with sweet brown sugar, nutmeg, caramel, maple, and a hint of cut grass.
The Palate
Just like the nose, you do get a rush of alcohol on the tongue on that first sip, but it quickly gets balanced by that brown sugar, caramel, and wood char, that is all perfectly balanced. This is a very smooth sipper. The mouth feel is light and yet complex, with the wood char mixing with the sweetness that switches between Maple and Brown sugar in a very delightful way before ending coasting to a long, smooth finish.
The Score – Uncle Nearest 1856
Uncle Nearest 1856 scored an 84/100, putting it ahead of most of its piers by a large measure. What cost it a few points? For me, that 100 Proof does balance out, but it may be too much for newcomers to the whiskey world, and while it is very smooth, the maple and brown sugar may be too sweet if you’re a Scotch lover.
Color
Dark brown with hints of golden light flashing through.
Proof
50.0% ABV | 100 Proof
Pros:
Wonderful nose that mixes maple, caramel, and nutmeg.
Perfectly blended char, maple, brown sugar, and nutmeg on the tongue.
Long, smooth finish on the palate.
Extremely smooth.
Uncle Nearest 1856 made it into my Whiskey Safe!
Cons:
That 100 proof can create a little burn on first touch.
That 100 proof can also hurt you the day after. It is very smooth and goes down easy, and that might leave you with a headache the next day, as it makes it easy to over indulge.
This may be for moderate to advanced sippers. It might just be “too much” for the new whiskey drinker.
I was a little disappointed in Fistful of Bourbon as a sipper. It scored a 53/100 when ranked against other sipping options. You can read the full review here.
What do I do with bourbon that isn’t sip worthy? I make Manhattans of course.
Fistfull of Bourbon Manhattan
If you can find or buy this online at the $25 price point, this is a great bottle to make mixed drinks. The Vermouth and Orange Bitters takes this rough edged bourbon and turns it into a smooth, tasty, Manhattan. I used my regular two to one mix and used my trusted Lowball YETI Ramblers to keep the cocktail cold while I drank it. These insulated YETI Ramblers also save my tables as they don’t sweat.
I feel like I got ripped off as I payed $40 bucks for my bottle of Fistful of Bourbon. At $25 this would be a great bottle for mixed drinks like a Manhattan.
The Score – Fistful of Bourbon Manhattan
A Fistful of Bourbon Manhattan scored an 80/100, and mixes into Sip Worthy Manhattan.
Pros
Makes a tasty Manhattan.
Benefits from the sweetness of the Vermouth.
Cons:
I would not pick up another bottle of Fistful of Bourbon unless I can find it at the $25 price point.
A friend at work mentioned this Fistful of Bourbon so when I saw it on the end cap at my local liquor store I figured I’d pick up a bottle and give it a try.
Fistful Of Bourbon
Fistful of Bourbon is a blend of whiskey combined from five different whiskeys. The marketing material brags about having 100 years of experience blending whiskey.
How did they do? Well, I have to be honest that I was a little worried when I first searched for the website and the very first thing I see is a page about cocktails.
Why is this the first page? Well, to be honest I don’t think this is a whiskey the creators figured would be a sipper.
The Nose
I poured a dram into a Glencairn Whisky Glass and swirled it a bit to bring the nose up. That nose starts with alcohol burn that slowly reveals some charred wood underneath. It was strong enough that I was curious if I lost some nose hairs.
The Palate
The first sip is consistent with the nose. The initial taste is strong alcohol and jagged edges that slowly fades. It does open up with a little bit of water with does let you appreciate some of the more subtle flavors. There is wood char and spice there, but the alcohol burn just barely lets it poke through here and there.
The Score – Fistful Of Bourbon
For me this Fistful of Bourbon scores a 53/100, putting it firmly in Mixed Drinks Only territory.
Color
Light brown.
Proof
45.0% ABV | 90 Proof
Pros:
It should be cheap .
The bottle is very nice. I like the old fashioned squarish bottle. It reminds me of the bottles I found at my grandfathers house as a kid.
Cons:
The online price is nearly $15 bucks cheaper if I had looked there first. $40 bucks is just too much for this bottle.
Lots of alcohol burn and sharp edges. The alcohol overpowers any other flavors that might be hiding here.
I really enjoyed Tyrconnel Single Malt without an age statement. It scored an 87/100 so I was excited to try this Tyrconnel 16 Year. My brain intrinsically equates age with quality, but if you look at how Kavanagh 16 Year scored, you also know that’s not always the case. Aging a whiskey can add depth, but there is also point where spending more time in the cask hurts the whiskey.
So how does Tyrconnel stand up to spending 16 years in a barrel? The time does add depth to this whiskey, but it also adds a few sharp edges. Don’t get me wrong, this is a very Sip Worthy dram.
The Nose
Tyrconnel 16 Year has a wonderful nose. It punches you in your olfactory senses with malt, floral notes, and spice. The 16 years really concentrated the nose in a delightful way. It was a struggle to decide whether to sip or smell this dram in a Glencairn Whisky Glass.
Tyrconnel Irish Whiskey 16 Year
The Palate
The first thing I appreciated was the dryness, and then the malt. The time spent in Oloroso Sherry Casks seasoned with Moscatel wine really shines through on the swallow. If you like dry, this will blow your socks off. The finish is deep and strong. There is malt, and spice, and sweetness that really hits you over the head with their flavors. Tyrconnel 16 year is not subtle. These are powerful, strong flavors, concentrated over 16 years.
The Score – Tyrconnel Irish Whiskey 16 Year
I really enjoyed this Tyrconnel 16 Year and will not turn down a dram if your putting it in my hand, which is why this Single Malt Irish Whiskey scored an 88/100. It is Sip Worthy, but…it didn’t make it into my Whiskey Safe. I’d drink it again, but I’m not going to buy it again. At least not until I try a lot of other Whiskeys. I’m not going to turn my nose up at a glass of Tyrconnel 16 Year, but for the price, I’ve got better options.
Color
Dark yellow with a little touch of murkiness.
Proof
46.0% ABV | 92 Proof
Pros:
Amazing nose.
Complex, layered malty-ness.
Just a hint of salt under a tidal wave of sweet, spice, and dry oak.
Hints at a dry white wine. If you like “dry” alcohol, this might be right up your alley.
Cons:
At $95 this is too rich for my blood. The cost to value just doesn’t add up.
Tyrconnel 16 Year has some surprising rough edges. If you equate age with smooth, you might be in for a little dissonance with this whiskey.
At just about half the price, Knappognue Castle 12 Year is going to give you a lot more bang for the buck.
This Tyrconnel Single Malt is distilled at the Kilbeggan distillery. This single malt is named after a horse, named of course Tyrconnel, who came from behind to win the National Produce Stakes horse race, or that is at least the lore that surrounds the whiskey. While this was intended as a single release, it was so popular they couldn’t stop producing it. (I wasn’t there in 1876, so I’m pretty much going by what the distillery is saying here.)
The Nose
Tyrconnel is a mild gold color and the nose is sweet, light, and filled with vanilla and spice. The nose is very pleasing.
The Palate
The mouth feel is light, and trails off just a tiny big from the nose. If the taste stood up to the nose this would be a contender against Redbreast 12. The taste is bursting with vanilla sweetness and buttery cookies, calls for your mouth to take the next sip even as the first is being swallowed, which is where this single malt gets dinged a few points. Tyrconnel has a mild, but noticeable aftertaste that turns that lovely spice into something just a bit stringent. Not unpleasant, but not endearing either.
The Score – Tyrconnel Single Malt
Still, this is a quality sipper, and scores a very respectable 87/100. I plan on replacing the bottle I finished this week while travelling. One of the advantages of being on holiday is you can drink every day if you want.
Color
Light golden yellow and amber.
Proof
43.0% ABV | 86 Proof
Pros:
All sweet butter cookies and vanilla.
Satisfies a craving for Redbreast 12 as $25 to $30 cheaper per bottle.
Once you open the bottle each dram call to you to drink another.
Cons:
Mild, but noticeable aftertaste.
Once you open the bottle each dram call to you to drink another.
This single malt Knappognue Castle 12 Year is finished in bourbon barrels. It was first produced in 1998, at the Cooley Distillery. In 2011, Beam Inc. purchased Cooley for $95,000,000, so someone walked away with just short of 100 million dollars. In my area, this Knappognue Castle 12 Year costs approximately $50, but prices vary every time I shop, so there could be big differences between my price and what you see at your local whiskey/bourbon reseller.
Knappogue Castle 12 Year – Empty Bottle
The Nose
The nose is pleasantly filled with sweet vanilla and butter cookies. I really enjoyed swirling this whiskey in a Glencairn Glass and just breathing in its lovely scent.
The Palate
The palate is sweet vanilla and spice that ends with a bit of pepper from the time the whiskey spent in the bourbon barrels.
The Score – Knappognue Castle Irish Whiskey 12 Year
I can’t help but compare this to Tyrconnel’s Single Malt. Tyrconnel doesn’t have an age statement, but they are within $5 of each other, and I honestly found the Tyrconnel and this Knappognue Castle 12 Years to be quite similar. I think I need to buy another bottle of each and do a blind tasting, because my memory is blurring the two together. Which means that this and Tyrconnel’s Single Malt are tied with an 87/100.
I may go back and update both the Tyrconnel’s Single Malt and this score, because I think a head to head is worth it for a tie breaker in the future.
Color
Light golden rays of sunshine.
Proof
40.0% ABV | 80 Proof
Pros:
Intoxicating vanilla and spice.
I love the buttery cookies this brings out on the tongue.
Cons:
The time spent in the bourbon barrels seems to have left a bit of pepper on the aftertaste that takes away from the rest of the experience.
I picked up this mini bottle of On The Rocks Knob Creek Old Fashioned pretty much on a whim. They had a rack of them by the check out and I’d never seen them before. It said Bourbon, so I grabbed a bottle.
On The Rocks Knob Creek Old Fashioned
I’m not a huge fan of Knob Creek Bourbon’s to be honest with you. When I reviewed Knob Creek Small Batch it scored a 49/100 but I’m happy to say this makes a much better mixed drink.
I poured some ice into my Yeti Lowball Rambler and pre chilled the cup before dumping it out. I then filled it about an inch of the way up and held the cup to nose.
This premade Old Fashioned has a sweet fruity nose. That burnt sugar and char I didn’t like so much in the base bourbon mixes well as an Old Fashioned. It likely also benefits from being diluted down to 35% ABV, compared to 50% for the Small Batch.
The palate is a pleasant woody char followed by sweet. If you like a sweet mixer, you will love this On The Rocks Knob Creek Old Fashioned. If your like me, and can’t have a lot of sugar, this mixer might not be the best choice for you.
I did enjoy sipping this Old Fashioned, but by the second tumbler I had a headache, which is what too much sugar does for me. I literally don’t eat any sugar or carbs, so this my just be a “me” issue.
The Score – On The Rocks Knob Creek Old Fashioned
If it weren’t for the headache, On The Rocks Knob Creek Old Fashioned, would have scored a 90 as a mixed drink, but for me the headache brought that score down to an 83/100.
Kilbrin 10 Year Single Malt is distilled in pot stills from 100% malted barley. It is produced at just one distillery, at least according to their website. What distillery? I can’t find that. There is a parish in County Cork by the name of Kilbrin, but there is no distillery there that I can find.
Based on the pieces I can put together from online research Kilbrin is a sourced whiskey. It’s not available in Ireland, and it sounds like its basically purchased from other vendors, and bottled as Kilbrin. Let’s see how it does!
The Nose
The nose is fruity and full of apples with just a hint of vanilla.
The Palate
The first sip is very approachable but the finish has a lot of alcohol in it. Enough that I feel it going up my sinuses and into the back of my throat. I feel like Kilbrin’s distiller deserves a shout out for how it opens. The whiskey is pleasant on the front of my tongue and has a decent body. It starts so strong. Sadly it doesn’t finish so strong. The finish is a bit rough, full of alcohol burn, and not nearly as smooth as I’d like from a bottle with a 10 Year age statement.
The Score – Kilbrin 10 Year Single Malt Irish Whiskey
Accordingly Kilbrin 10 Year Single Malt scores 52/100. Two things cost it points. The first is the rough finish. The second is the price. For a bottle in this price range that is combined with a 10 Year age statement I just need more.
Color
Dark yellow with a little touch of murkiness.
Proof
40.0% ABV | 80 Proof
Pros:
Entry level bottle with an entry level price.
Cons:
It is not sold in Ireland. If its not good enough for the Irish, its not good enough for me.
The opening hides a finish that hits with a bit of rough gravel on the swallow with strong notes of alcohol.
At a $50/55 price point, Knappognue Castle 12 Year is a much better option.
My original review of Agitator Kentucky Bourbon left me less than impressed. As a sipper it scored a 50/100. That put it in Mixers or On Ice territory. It is only a $35 bottle but I still hate to poor booze down the drain just because it isn’t Sip Worthy.
That is when I break out my Vermouth and see if making a Manhattan will boost the score a little.
I used my standard recipe for a Manhattan, mixing bourbon to vermouth in a 2 to 1 ratio.
I tried this Agitator Manhattan with, and without Orange Bitters.
Agitator Kentucky Bourbon Manhattan
I was thinking the red wine finish on this Agitator bourbon would pair well with vermouth and make an amazing Manhattan.
Boy, was I wrong. What I was hoping would become a nice pairing of red wine and vermouth, turned out to clash, and badly.
Agitator Kentucky Bourbon Manhattan Scoring
I’m giving this Agitator Manhattan a 49/100, put it in Just Bad territory.
Pros:
If you like cheap whiskey with strong red wine notes, this might be for you.
Cons:
The red wine finish from the Agitator clashes with the vermouth.
