Glendalough Double Barrel
42%
NAS
Aged in ex-Bourbon barrels (American oak) and ex-Sherry casks (European oak from Montilla, Andalousia)
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Glendalough was built by Irish friends from Wicklow and Dublin to revive craft distilling in Ireland. As they say on their home page, there was over 200 license to distill in Ireland in the 18th and 19th century, most of them gone by now. The remaining permits are mostly owned by big distilleries, with a few craft one emerging in the last 10 years.
The distillery takes its name from a famous valley in Wicklow County, on the East cost, just south of Dublin. From what I saw upon searching on the net, it is famous for one major reason : holy cow the scenery is beautiful ! A lake in the middle of two mountains ? Count me in for a visit !!!
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Colour : pale straw.
Nose : perfumed with two types of sugar, one from honey and caramel, the other one from rich candied apricots. None of them are particularly strong, nor taking over the other one. Everything is balanced and light.
Palate : same balance as the nose, this time with more floral, fresh and light notes and with licorice and cinnamon. There is a second level of flavours coming in with ginger spices, hazelnuts and citrus.
Final : medium length, with spices and a warm touch.
Comments : this is an entry level whiskey from Glendalough. Keeping it in mind, this is a nice whiskey. It is balanced and has a more than acceptable level of complexity. For someone looking for a rich, complex and exhausting dram, is it suited ? Nope. For someone looking for a daily sipper that can be drink in any circumstances yet being enjoyable, is it suited ? Yep.
This bottle was provided by one of my student and his family as a gift for the end of the school year… So thank you 🙂
Picture taken by my good friend Jerome L. !!