Dark Silkie Irish Whiskey

SILKIE DARK PEATED IRISH WHISKY (92PROOF/NCF) NOSE: It smells pretty much as you'd expect a Peated Irish to smell. Peat is dominant with notes of Rubber & Last Night's Campfire. This is followed by Crisp Green Apple, Leather, Mint, Salted Butter, Glazed Lemon Filled Donut, Allspice, and light Florals. I think spending more time with this could reveal many more notes. The Empty Glass has an aroma like a Cupcake topped with a dollop of Vick's Vaporub. NEAT: This is quite enjoyable. A Silky Smooth Oily Mouthfeel delivers Powdered Sugar Dusted Lemon Squares, Vanilla, and Bubblegum along with Sweet Smoke on the front of the Tongue. Leather, Cereal Grains, and Light Oak Tannins appear Mid-Palate. They blend very well with the sweeter notes from the front for a delicious combination of flavors. The Back of the Tongue encounters Black Pepper and Rubbery Peat before a Medium Length Finish. It's slightly marred by an Artificial Sweetener-like Bitter/Sour Note that lingers around the edges*. It's not a dealbreaker, but it's something I notice in several Irish offerings. The mouth is left with a pleasant aftertaste of Ash, New Rubber Tire, and those Neon Yellow Hunt's Lemon Pudding Cups. There's also a nice layering of Black Pepper Tingle on the tongue and cheeks. I know I'll remember tasting this long after the dram is finished, and I appreciate that. *Over time, either the sourness fades, or my palate adjusts, and it becomes unnoticeable. SPLASH: Adding a little water brings Lemon Pith to the forefront on the Nose. The Palate becomes less harsh and also more Lemony. It's good either way, but I prefer it Neat. VERDICT: A Peated Irish whiskey had been on my wish list for some time, and I happened to find this one at my local store, fittingly at the end of March. I found this to be VERY Good, especially considering its $44 price point. Extra points for the higher-than-average Irish proof and NCF, which allow the Oily/Silky character of the whisky to be fully appreciated. It's completely different from, but equally enjoyable to, the best Irish whiskeys I've had. I am definitely going to try the standard lightly peated version as well.

Good grief. I want to start with a warning: only purchase this if you already enjoy heavily peated spirits. Don't try this casually. And that's a significant statement. While I believe the world would improve if everyone appreciated peated whisky, I acknowledge that's not the case. So, it's important to mention that upfront. Avoid this if you're not already a fan of peat, and even then, this is intense, much like the initial shock of stepping into freezing water. I just opened this a week ago and have only had two servings, and the reason I say good grief is that rubber is very noticeable in the smell. My first impression when bringing the glass near my nose was a sense of memory. Wandering through an auto parts store as a kid when my father took me there to get a component for his vehicle. You also get hints of smoked meat, ocean salt, and, this might seem odd, a cooked egg. Yes, do you understand why I provided that warning earlier? Consider this if you already like peated spirits AND ARE ALSO SEEKING SOMETHING STRANGE...VERY VERY STRANGE. The aroma has me so captivated that it will take me a moment to move to the taste. So, bear with me... Considering all that, the taste is somewhat more conventional, with the peat arriving first, then bitter dark chocolate, akin to 90% cacao, and dried fruit. It resembles a certain Islay spirit more than a particular Irish one, for example. So, it's not immediately identifiable as Irish, although a base of grain is present if you look for it. The aftertaste is moderately long, at least for a peated spirit. Do not expect the lengthy aftertastes you get with some other peated brands. However, at its price point, this is not a poor choice if you desire something unconventional and reasonably intricate without being expensive. Nevertheless, be ready, this spirit is the very essence of polarizing. There's very little space for a neutral opinion. It's a definite love-it-or-hate-it kind of experience.

Nose: Dry, smoky, and earthy. It reminds me vaguely of a grandmother's musty sock drawer filled with dust and old mothballs. Frankly, I find it quite off-putting. Palate: Okay, I can't fathom how the transition from such a rough nose to a genuinely enjoyable palate happens, but I'm not complaining! It has a salty taste (like baked goods, not brine), bitter cocoa, tobacco, and a drying oakiness. Vanilla cream ties it all together. It's a good spirit. Finish: Medium. Nutty and drying with a mellowing smoke. I've generally not been a fan of Irish Whiskey. I often find them unimpressive. Not bad, just... well; uninspired. Once I moved past the initial aroma, which I found harsh and unpleasant, the whiskey was quite delightful. The flavors were enjoyable, the peat smoke was interesting, and the balance was good. It's novel and enjoyable. But that aroma is truly nasty. Whiskey taste #81

An elegant, Irish Whiskey from Sliabh Liag Distillers in Donegal, Ireland, made with a blend of double-distilled and lightly peated triple-distilled Single Malts (peated to about 22ppm) and matured in sherry casks. It is then combined with a bourbon-matured single malt and a grain whiskey that has been rested in virgin oak before being bottled at 46% ABV. It begins aromatically with notes of grain, wood, peat smoke, orchard fruit, toasted nuts, herbs & spices; a rich & delicate middle adds notes of sweet malt, apple, pear, caramel, peanut butter & anise; leading to a quick & balanced end with notes of spicy oak, salted dark chocolate, cigar box, leather, pipe tobacco, smoke & sea foam. December 2023

NOSE Smoky peat with an ashy quality, caramel, toasted malt, herbal spice, and a touch of rubber It has a pleasing depth and offers a smoothly bold peated aroma. PALATE Smoky peat with an ashy quality, burnt caramel, roasted fruit, baking spice, and some rubber and cocoa. I prefer the palate over the aroma; it has a unique character for an Irish spirit. FINISH Medium-Long -> Ashy/smoky, cocoa, orange peel, and burnt caramel.

This was better than anticipated. I chose it because I noticed 'Irish whiskey,' but upon pouring, I realized it was a peated and smoked whiskey (uncommon for Irish and generally not my preference). The smoke is strong enough to mask any peat, which I typically dislike. It still possesses some of the caramel I'd expect from an Irish, so it's not simply a Scotch made in Ireland.