Powers Signature Release

The last in the old Powers range is this Signature Release. It's the only one not kept when they switched to stout bottles (I prefer this sleeker design). It was matured in used bourbon barrels and first-fill Olorosso sherry casks. Perhaps they felt it was too similar to the Three Swallows to justify keeping? It feels appropriate to finish my review of the old line with the one they've discontinued. Nose: Nutty notes of almond, pecan, and walnut. Dried fruits like dates and figs. A pound cake aroma. Red grape and craisin. Orange meringue. Caramel and vanilla. Honey. Maple sweetness. Palate: More of that pound cake flavor. Dates, figs, and raisins. Some vanilla and milk chocolate. Reminiscent of ice cream. Shortbread cookies and biscotti. Pecans. Caramel. Notes of apple, pear, and apricot. Orange citrus and banana. Toffee and malt. Plum. It's very rich. Finish: Shortbread cookie. Caramel, vanilla, and milk chocolate. Honeydew, apple, pear, apricot, and orange. More of that ice cream character. Pumpkin spice. Cinnamon, white pepper, clove, nutmeg, and oak. A medium finish. This one was a pleasant surprise. Numerous distinct fruit and spice notes, with significant depth at 46% ABV. The profile is balanced, and there's no sign of alcohol; it's simply layers of fruit, nut, dessert, and spice throughout. Regarding value for money: at $41, it's significantly better than the standard Powers Gold, which costs only $6 less. The Three Swallows costs over $60, and this was superior even without considering the price difference. The value is definitely there, and I'm upgrading this from a 3.75 to a 4.25. This is an excellent whiskey, surpassed only in quality by the John's Lane 12 at the top of the distillery's offerings. I support Irish distillers incorporating rye into their ranges—what I've tasted has been good—but they certainly made a mistake by removing this from their lineup. 4.25/5.

The nose offers gentle honey, malt, a hint of oak spice, and sherry fruitiness. The palate is smooth and embracing, showing what I believe is an ideal blend of malt and grain in the pot still mash bill. Flavors of honey, malt, grain, orchard fruit, vanilla, a subtle chocolate note, and sherry depth fill the mouth with sweetness. The sherry is perfectly balanced for this single pot still, not overpowering, but providing the ideal fruit depth to make this an almost perfect Irish whiskey. I haven't tried Redbreast, Powers John Lane, or either Green or Yellow Spot; however, out of the dozens of Irish whiskies I've tasted, including some single malts, I think this is my favorite for flavor balance. On the negative side, I suspect this bottling is being discontinued. I don't know this for sure, but it's no longer on the Powers website, major stores in my area said they last received it in November 2018, and online retailers are either clearing it out at a discount or increasing the price on their remaining stock. I've personally bought several bottles at sale prices while they were available. If you've never tried this expression, I hope you can find a bottle before they disappear, assuming my suspicions are correct.

If enjoying Powers is wrong, I don't want to be right - I've never had a disappointing whiskey from them. This is their less expensive (and NAS) single pot still offering, and while there's a touch of young spirit heat, there's ample smoothness and flavor to overlook that. It has an obvious bourbon cask influence - lots of sweet vanilla and spice with hints of coconut - which enhances the already sweet and spicy character of their single pot still. The sherry influence is more noticeable in the finish, as notes of plummy dried fruit emerge and linger with the vanilla and spice for a long time on the palate. It's a full, rich, almost creamy...a substantial dram for the cost. An excellent introduction to single pot still whiskey for someone new to the style who isn't ready to spend more on Johns Lane or Redbreast.

Nose: Light and sweet, with notes of honey, mead, melon, faint banana, nuts, and possibly pear. Palate: A bit thin, sweet, with honey, barrel, nutty, possible pear, ethanol, and hints of clove. Finish: Dry, fleeting, and underwhelming. There are subtle fruity notes here and a pleasant sweetness that has a clove-like spice. I had to concentrate to discern these characteristics, as they weren't very distinct or strong. The finish was very weak, if present at all. Score: 3.0, could be 3.25 - I'd drink some - enjoyable but not memorable. I've certainly experienced superior offerings from Powers.

The aroma brings to mind shortbread cookies, honeyed graham crackers, and floral notes. On the palate, the thick, creamy texture is immediately noticeable. This is quite pleasant! Vanilla custard and honey are present, with a soft honeydew note emerging mid-palate. The finish is spicy and peppery, perhaps a little sharp but not uncomfortably so. A solid, reasonably priced Irish whiskey.

This is a 3-star spirit, so why the 4 stars? It's about the quality for the price. Surprisingly invigorating, the sherry cask influence is quite evident. For someone seeking an Irish Whiskey at a low cost, and who dislikes peat, this is a solid option. While Redbreast, Yellow Spot, and Greenspot are superior, they are not available for $30-$35.