Kinahan's Single Malt 10 Year

Another year, another whiskey Advent calendar! Personally, I can think of no better way to wait in stillness for the birth of Christ... I can only imagine how much better St. Matthew's parable of the wise and foolish virgins would have been if it had concerned whiskey rather than lamp oil. Of course, the wise virgins may have been more willing to share whiskey than lamp oil to start the party, and depending on how much whiskey was consumed they may not have ended the night virgins... but I digress. Kinahan's 10 Year single malt is the first sample in this year's Irish Whiskey Advent Calendar from Drinks by the Dram, and it's a solid starting point. As noted by another reviewer, this is liquid banana nut bread on the nose, with a little vanilla frosting and a sprinkle of cinnamon. The palate consists of cereal (I can get behind Grape Nuts) with sliced banana, vanilla cream, some light spices, a hint of mint, and that subtle, drying note of pipe tobacco right at the very end. An easygoing, enjoyable dram!

A pleasant surprise. An inviting aroma of fresh and warm banana nut bread with brown sugar. The appealing scent leads to a taste that fills the mouth with brown sugar, fruits (apples/pears) and cereal. The finish is again sweet with traces of fresh mint. This was my favorite of the night. I'm eager to add it to my collection. [ $60 ] [ 87/100 ] [ Tasted: Whiskey on the Hudson 2015 ]

Cereal flavor matching Grape-Nuts: I think that description is spot on. It's exactly that. There's also a pleasant malt note, akin to shortbread, with a hint of earthiness. I have to say this whiskey is rather intricate. I'm not entirely convinced it all harmonizes - the aroma can be inconsistent at times, though the ending is satisfying and lengthy. It's unique.

Smells like baked apples, with hints of vanilla and a touch of smoke. Initial heat is pleasant, not as sweet as the aroma suggested, though some vanilla remains. The finish is quite warm with slight tannins and notes of the apples from the start. It's good, but a bit expensive. Worth a try.

The aroma is distinctly like Grape Nuts cereal. For taste, I get sweet and sour notes with a hint of smoke. I also detect the green apple flavor I often associate with Irish whiskey. I lose some of the subtle flavors after the initial sips.

Irish whiskey aged in American oak barrels. It has an old gold color. It is surprisingly smooth and easy to drink, with a noticeable and even prominent note of mashed sea buckthorn berries. It's a decent spirit.