Tag: Aged 10 Years

Glenmorangie The Original 10 Year

TJ Provost

One of my older boys brought this Glenmorangie The Original 10 Year for us to drink on Thanksgiving and while I’m more of an Irish Whiskey, American Bourbon guy, this was on my list of bottles to try, so I was happy and excited to open it and take a sip.

Glenmorangie The Original 10 Year
Glenmorangie The Original 10 Year

The Nose

The first thing you will appreciate bout this Glenmorangie The Original 10 Year is its well balanced nose. The nose is floral and sweet but mixed with malt, It’s a really intoxicating scent.

The Palate

The first sip was a pleasure to drink, which really surprised me. I’m not a huge fan of most Scotch, but this Glenmorangie The Original 10 Year is a treat. The flavor opens with sweet and malt that slowly transition into a touch of smoke that blends with sweet fruit and maltiness for a smooth ending.

The Score – Glenmorangie The Original 10 Year

This bottle is one of those rare bottles of Scotch that I enjoy. I’m not a fan of smoke. Glenmorangie The Original 10 Year scores a very respectable 82/100.

Color

Light yellow and straw.

Proof

43.0% ABV | 86 Proof

Pros:

  • Intoxicating nose. I could breathe in this floral, slightly sweet dram all day long.
  • Smooth and well rounded sip that ends with malt, sweet, and just a hint of smoke.

Cons:

  • If you love oily, smoky Scotch, you will find this too light for your taste.

See how all Whiskeys, Tequilas and Vodkas Rank!

Kilbrin 10 Year Single Malt Irish Whiskey

TJ Provost

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.

See how all Whiskeys, Tequilas and Vodkas Rank!

Dublin Liberties Copper Alley Irish Whiskey

TJ Provost

This bottle of Dublin Liberties Copper Alley Irish Whiskey was a birthday gift from my Dad, and I have thoroughly enjoyed sipping it. Dublin Liberties is a single malt that is aged for 10 years and finished in Oloroso Sherry casks.

Dublin Liberties Copper Alley Irish Whiskey
Dublin Liberties Copper Alley Irish Whiskey

The Nose

The nose on this Dublin Liberties Copper Alley is a wonderful mix of malt and butter cookies. Having a Glencairn Whiskey Glass is a must to enjoy this nose! It is muted compared to Redbreast 12, but still lovely. The butter cookies have just a hint of sherry that is subtle but very enjoyable. This whiskey was made by a master at his craft.

The Palate

The sip is complex and swirling and starts with malt and butter cookies mixed with a pleasant nuttiness. The mid tongue immediately turns to cinnamon that quickly turns to pepper and sherry on the finish. After the swallow you will appreciate the dryness of that sherry.

Some of the other sherry finished whiskeys I’ve had overpower the whiskey, but this is just a masterfully crafted blend and all the tasting notes mesh together beautifully.

The Score – Dublin Liberties Copper Alley Irish Whiskey

Not surprisingly, this Dublin Liberties Copper Alley scored a well earned 90/10. Obviously, if you can find it, buy a bottle and let me know if you agree.

Color

Light Amber and Straw.

Proof

40.0% ABV

Pros:

  • Single malt and aged 10 year goodness.
  • Incredibly well created sherry finish.
  • It was a surprise bottle for my birthday, and it was an awesome present.

Cons:

  • Can you find it? I’d never seen it in a store and was psyched to get it as a present.
  • Because its around $75 bucks it can eat into your wallet if you pick up a taste for it.
  • Compared to Redbreast Lustau it is so hard to pick a favorite!

See how all Whiskey’s Rank!

Whiskey Dreams – The Temple Bar Irish Whiskey

TJ Provost

I will always grab a bottle of Irish Whiskey I’ve never had before. Unlike bourbons, which have dozens of new bottles to taste every month, a new Irish Whiskey is much less common. Sadly, the bottles I haven’t tried also tend to get more expensive.

Temple Bar Irish Whiskey

So when I saw this bottle of The Temple Bar Irish Whiskey on the shelf I immediately picked it up.

The Nose

The nose on The Temple Bar Irish Whiskey is quite enjoyable. There is a nice mixture of sweetness and cinnamon that blends with the malt and spice. It all comes together in a lovely nose that has a lot of subtle notes in it.

The Palate

After the nose, I was really looking forward to the first sip of The Temple Bar Irish Whiskey. The big question on my mind was, did I find a competitor to Red Breast 12?

The first sip of The Temple Bar Irish Whiskey was a little bit of a letdown after how much I enjoyed the nose. There are hints of leather and malt on that first touch of the tongue, which quickly turns to wood notes on the mid tongue before becoming a bit astringent on the finish. That finish is what really hurt The Temple Bar Irish Whiskey for me. The finish is really sharp and not as balanced as I’d like.

The Score

I’m giving The Temple Bar Irish Whiskey a 40/100. The nose was wonderful but the sip was a bit of a let down.

The Temple Bar Irish Whiskey

Color

Light amber.

Proof

40.0% ABV

Pros

  • Who doesn’t want to try every Irish Single Malt on the planet?

Cons

  • At $60 a bottle there are much better options.
  • Not as smooth as I’d like.
  • The finish is sharp and not overly enjoyable neat.

Whiskey Dreams – Bushmills 10 Year Irish Whiskey

TJ Provost 1 Comment

I honestly didn’t find Bushmills without an age statement to be a very sippable dram. It scored a 62/100, putting it in the “Mixers or On Ice” category, so I was curious what 10 years in a barrel would do for it.

The good news is that the extra time aging smoothed out the rough edges. Some of those edges left a displeasing aftertaste. What surprised me about this Bushmills 10 Year is that while it is much smoother, that strange tannin driven aftertaste is still there. Whatever char they use in the barrel must be the driver. At least the 10 Year smooths it out and lets you appreciate the sweet butter cookies that hides just beneath that layer of woodiness.

I found that a little bit of water really opens up this Bushmills 10 Year and lets you appreciate the sweet fruitiness and butter cookies that gets overpowered by the tannins when you sip it right out of the bottle.

Oddly enough, I just bought another bottle because I didn’t realize Bushmills rolled out a new bottle design in 2021. My very visual brain thought I was picking up something I hadn’t tried before. You can tell I’ve been enjoying the 2nd bottle since I picked it up.

Bushmills 10 Year Bottle Changes

I do think the new bottle design is way more distinctive. Plus, the new cork is much nicer.

Bushmills 10 Year Cork

Overall, the Bushmills 10 Year is a huge improvement over the original Bushmills, which is why it is scoring 10 points higher. That gives Bushmills 10 Year Irish Whiskey a 72/100, making it Sip Worthy.

It was good, and I will drink it whenever I can pick up a bottle on sale, but unfortunately for Bushmills did not make it into my Whiskey Safe. That means I don’t on keeping a few bottles on hand for if the power goes out permanently.

Color

Copper and amber.

Proof

40.0% ABV

Pros

  • Easy to find.
  • Soft sweet nose with hints of butter cookies.
  • Smoother edges when compared to the original Bushmills.

Cons

  • The things I love about Irish Whiskey are subtle. There are butter cookies, but they are under the malt and oak.
  • At this price point, around $50 I would go with Tyrconnell or Knappogue Castle.