With St Patrick’s Day coming up (Saturday 17 March) here are six Irish whiskies the International Wine & Spirit Competition (IWSC) recommends to get you in the spirit of things…
Midleton Barry Crockett Legacy
New England in the Fall. Log cabins, brown leaves, light ginger notes, delicate tea and some hints hints Bubble Gum. Palate, is so easy to drink- a mild cheese with some spiced chutney on toasted sourdough bread. The finish is a vanilla pana cotta. Dried raspberry, Garibaldi biscuits.
Where to buy: Master of Malt, £150
Redbreast 12 Year Old
Burnished copper on the eye, this has a huge waxiness in the nose, floor polish and black cherry. ginseng, old mahogany, and nectarine. The palate is smooth with treacle tart, vanilla, toffee apple and candied orange. A finish of spiced custard and upside cake.
Where to buy: Master of Malt, £43.33
Connemara Peated Single Malt Irish Whiskey
Peat cutting in the first rainfall of August where the ground it still hardened from the summer sun. Leather and almond oil, too. The palate gives chopped nuts, green apples and some kiwi which appear in greater intensity in the finish.
Where to buy: Amazon, £38.94
Tullamore D.E.W. 18 YO
There is an incredible sweetness to this, like raspberry macaroons, whipped cream and rhum. Backed with a hint of spice, this is a walk through a summer park with Wimbledon on in the background. The palate is equally as fruity, but also delicate with vanilla and cream soda. A medium length finish is where the real spices are hidden.
Where to buy: Amazon, £90.89
Midleton Dair Ghaelach
Imagine a bed where the mattress is made of marshmallow and the walls of freshly cut pine: that’s the nose here. A hint of morning coffee leads to a palate of creme brûlée and cherry drops with a spiced apple finish.
Where to buy: Amazon, £216.37
Teeling Whiskey Company – Spirit of Dublin
Wonderfully creamy notes arise from the glass with hints of fresh polish, new car notes and some gooseberry bush leaves. The palate has hints of rhubarb and custard, minerals, cream soda and mint with more mint and some basil and herbaceous notes on the finish.
Where to buy: Master of Malt, £32.33
