Glendalough Double Barrel Single Grain

Nose: The influence of the barrels is dominant: roughly equal parts oaky bourbon and smooth red fruit, with the oak slightly more prominent. The two elements are well integrated. I find it challenging to distinguish between the two profiles. Consequently, you get a woody cherry, orchard fruit still on the tree, and a bit of both black AND red licorice (a novel experience for me). It's all engaging and fun, but lacks significant depth (which is fine, given the price). Palate: Smooth and rich. It leans even more towards bourbon on the palate than on the nose. A quick burst of caramel, vanilla, and cherry, before the anise/black licorice emerges and lingers. Caramel reappears atop a bread pudding character. The finish is sweet with abundant red fruit, a touch of cayenne pepper, and a lingering chocolate powder. This is tasty, inexpensive, unique, and interesting. It's not complicated, so it can't truly compete with higher-priced drams. However, the craftsmanship is evident - the distillery has clearly invested thought and effort into creating something that approximates an Irish take on traditional bourbon, and at an affordable price. The outcome is superior to a cheap bourbon or a cheap Irish whiskey, but not comparable to the upper-middle tier of either. Not even close, really. But it's not aiming for that. It's simply an interesting outlier. I'm content with that. I might even purchase it again because I can't think of anything else quite like it, especially considering the price. In summary: this is far from outstanding, but it's unique, interesting, and remarkably easy to enjoy simultaneously. Ideal for a bottle under $25.

Aroma - cereal grain, dry corn, fig, cashew, bitter botanicals, caramel, orange peel, vanilla, ethanol, oat, cinnamon, honey, apple, mild to moderate ethanol sting. Flavor - cereal grain, honey, vanilla cream, caramel, cinnamon, fig, bitter botanicals, ethanol, white pepper, cornbread, ginger, apple, cherry, cashew, mild to moderate alcohol sting, finishing medium short with cereal grain, light caramel, and drying herbal notes. I'm typically not a fan of young Irish whiskies or single grain whiskies, so my expectations aren't high for this. The aroma is very grainy and corny, with some light baking spices, caramel, and a hint of sherry-influenced fruit. The palate is similarly grainy, with some pleasant vanilla cream and nutty notes before becoming dry and bitter on the finish. It's not outstanding, but it's not awful either. It's superior to the Proper Twelve I sampled yesterday, and its quality is probably comparable to Jameson and Bushmills Original for me. There are nice, honeyed fruity and nutty scents and tastes, but the dominant, immature grainy and drying characteristics prevent it from earning a score higher than average. Another big thank you to a friend for providing the generous sample!

Rating: 9/23 I'm wary of this one, but a little hopeful. I've heard some positive things about Glendalough, but nothing that suggested it would be worth the asking price. I finally bought it because it was on sale. Nose: Alcohol, slightly oily, and just a touch of that Sipsmith gin mustiness that verges on fishy. Digging deeper, there's a bit of orange, but it's faint. Palate: The alcohol definitely makes an impact. It's somewhat oily with some sweet red fruit and a bit of nuttiness. It tastes very young. Not a very intricate palate. Reasonably viscous and pretty smooth apart from a few spots that give me a slight burn. I do detect a hint of that musty fishiness, but it's extremely faint. Finish: The alcohol lingers with a slight burn. A bit of lingering oiliness and a dash of fruity sweetness. - Conclusion - I'd choose this over Proper No. Twelve, but it's barely drinkable. I'm thinking a 9 to 11. Most likely a 9 or 10. I'm leaning toward a 9. Yes, definitely not an 11. After considerable thought, I'm just not convinced it's better than Proper No. Twelve. So I'm giving it a 9.

I generally dislike wine, so I've always avoided Sherry Cask whiskies. Imagine my surprise when I discovered the Irish whiskey I bought on a whim was, in fact, sherry cask! Then, one day, I decided to actually open my bottle of Glendalough, and my 'whiskey journey' was transformed forever. Like other tasters have noted, this is a relatively 'hot' whiskey, but the intensity of the flavors is well-balanced with the heat. The aspect that immediately captivated me was the overall nuttiness and a strong, almost milky, eggnog note on the finish.

It's alright but has a slightly unpleasant flavor. I can't pinpoint it, but I won't get it again. There are too many superior options in this price bracket. Sexton and Slane are better choices. For a little more money, Tullamore, Jameson, and Bushmills are preferable. Even Killebeggan single grain, which is cheaper, is better. Honestly, it's not very good!

Barely any aroma but wow, it delivers caramel and fruit with just the right amount of heat. We were sipping this yesterday at the beach after sailing, so maybe the location helped, but both scotch and bourbon enthusiasts warmly welcomed it as a very enjoyable drink. The bottle was half empty....