Two Stacks The Blender's Cut Cask Strength

Notes from a blind tasting event. The aroma brings vodka to mind. It’s very subtle and primarily features an ethanol sting, akin to rubbing alcohol. There's a faint hint of red fruit, but the dominant sensation is rubbing alcohol. Adding a generous amount of water reveals a touch of bacon, which is odd. Frankly, this isn't promising. The palate mirrors the scent. It honestly drinks more like vodka than whiskey to me. While I acknowledge the robust alcohol content, I'm struggling to discern any distinct flavors because the rubbing alcohol scent and taste persist. The conclusion is moderately long but unpleasant. This is a significant letdown, especially since I enjoy Irish whiskeys. Seeing "Product of Ireland" on the container raised my expectations, but this is undeniably the least impressive one encountered thus far. I can't overlook its vodka-like characteristics; it's dominated by alcohol burn and the taste of rubbing alcohol. Final Mark: F (Ended up discarding it)

An intense, Cask Strength Irish Whiskey from the founders of Killowen Distillery, created in partnership with The Great Northern Distillery. It uses the same mash bill as 'The First Cut'—a mix of malt, grain, and pot-still whiskey, comprising five distillates in total. It's aged in virgin oak and bourbon oak, with single pot still whiskey aged in Oloroso sherry casks, double-distilled malt, and a small amount of peated malt. It's bottled at 65% ABV. The aromatic profile opens with notes of nectarine, pineapple, cinnamon, warm oak, caramel, molasses, honey, tobacco, and a hint of tea leaf and peat. The full and spicy body introduces flavors of raisins, cedar, ginger, almonds, and spice cake, leading to an exceptionally long and hot finish with notes of black pepper, birch, honey, and nutmeg. December 2022.

Vanilla, berries, and sweetness on the nose. More of the same on the palate, along with some spice and grassiness; the sweetness evolves into a chocolate-covered caramel. Predictably, a long finish. Allow it to rest in your glass for about 10 minutes, as the alcohol can otherwise be overpowering. Very nice, I just purchased a replacement bottle.

It's okay. As a cask strength offering, the high proof alcohol masks most flavors and aromas. Adding a bit of water significantly improved it. Initially, caramel and honey come through, followed by tobacco and chocolate. The taste was predominantly tobacco and pineapple, which was acceptable but unremarkable.

A gentle aroma offers hints of vanilla and tobacco. The palate is heavily smoky, featuring subtle herbal and medicinal undertones. The finish is primarily spicy with a slight burn, probably due to the high alcohol content, amplifying the medicinal characteristics.

The nose has notes of vanilla, tobacco, and herbs. As expected for cask strength, the taste is strong, with dominant notes of grass and tobacco. The sherry cask influence appears slightly in the finish, giving it a somewhat medicinal quality.