I was honestly a little nervous about this Kavanagh 16 Year Old Irish Whiskey after having to pour out a bottle of regular Kavanagh Whiskey for scoring 3/100. At the same time I was interested to see what 16 years of additional aging would do for this whiskey.
Kavanagh 16 Year Old Irish Whiskey
So how did it hold up?
I have to be honest and say that this is a budget whiskey and the 16 year age statement is very deceiving. Why? I feel like these are the rejected barrels for something else they are selling. Sure it has a 16 year age statement, but its still not as good as Tyrconnel Single Malt which is the same price (for me) and no where near being even close to Redbreast 12 Year.
The Score – Kavanagh 16 Year Irish Whiskey
I did finish the bottle, but I kept finding myself licking my lips and kind of “puckering up” against the strange aftertaste. I am ranking this at a 66/100, but there are much better options for the price, and this is not a bottle that I will be buying again.
Pros
Budget 16 Year Old Irish Whiskey. Where are are you going to get a 16 year old bottle for $50 bucks.
Nice honey and butter cookie notes. (At least until the funky aftertaste hits.)
Cons:
Doesn’t really hold up to other bottles at the same price points that don’t even have an age statement.
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.
My wife and I had lunch at Ted’s Montana Grill. She had the Snowcrest Sandwhich and I had a burger with fries and onion rings. My wife had a beer and I had two of the “Newly Fashioned” cocktails.
Classic Cocktails
The nose on the Newly Fashioned is all sweet and orange with just a hint of bourbon underneath it. Even my wife, who does not like whiskey found the nose to be quite enjoyable.
The sip is all sweet and citrus and really hides the alcohol. My wife did take a sip, but she said the bourbon was stiller there for her, or at least the alcohol. For me this was a bit too sweet and that sweetness overpowered the bourbon. If you are just getting into bourbon, or like sweet drinks you are going to love this Newly Fashioned.
Newly Fashioned
Ted’s Montana Grill scored a 66/100, making it a restaurant I would go back to If I had Limited Choices. Two things cost Ted’s some points. The first is the cocktail menu and available bourbons is a pretty short list. The second is that it was fairly pricey, with a price tag of $90 for a lunch for two people. The food was good, but not $90 for two people lunch good. Yes, I had two drinks, and my wife had a beer, but between two sandwiches and an appetizer we both walked away saying it was a bit too expensive for what we got.
