Clonakilty Single Batch Double Oak Finish
Travel Distilled reviews Clonakilty Single Batch Double Oak Finish Irish whiskey made in County Cork using both ex-bourbon and ex-red wine barrels.
I recently reviewed Minke Irish Gin, made at the Clonakilty Distillery in County Cork, though the company is better-known for its whiskies, like this Single Batch Double Oak Finish expression.
The Clonakilty Distillery
Clonakilty is in the southwest corner of Ireland, one of the most beautiful parts of the country as I know from several visits there. The distillery was founded by the Scully family, 9th-generation local farmers, who grow the heritage barley that goes into their whiskies. Their warehouse stands on cliffs above the pounding Atlantic Ocean and the salt sea air also contributes to the taste of the whiskies.
The distillery itself is in the centre of the small town of Clonakilty and is quite a stunning building, providing another reason to visit this corner of Ireland, already long-noted for its fabulous food… and now drinks too.
Making Clonakilty Single Batch Double Oak Finish
The whiskey is made using a very distinctive process. It matures first in ex-bourbon barrels, and is then finished in a combination of new American oak barrels and shaved, toasted and re-charred ex-red wine European oak barrels. These are known as NEOC casks (New Era of Cask) and are from Bordeaux. The barrels are shaved by coopers and then re-toasted to each distillery’s specification. This makes it the first Irish whiskey to be finished in this way.
Tasting Clonakilty Single Batch Double Oak Finish
The whiskey is bottled at 43.6% ABV (87.2 proof). The bottle is a typical tall whiskey bottle, nothing flashy, but with a simple and attractive logo depicting the minke whales that are found off the coast near Clonakilty.
On the nose you realise that all the detail that went into its making is worth it. There are a lot of aromas swirling round in there: vanilla, spice, the freshness of apple, maybe a hint of salt from the sea?
On the palate, it’s very smooth and slightly sweet. It reminds me why I first got into enjoying whiskies by trying Irish rather than Scottish whiskies. I now love Scottish whiskies too, but Irish whiskies like this have a creamier, gentler, subtler taste. It’s a little spicier than the nose would suggest, and with some almond nuttiness too. The spices remain on the finish, but all the way through this is a classy whiskey.
Buying Clonakilty Single Batch Double Oak Finish
To buy this whiskey in Ireland and the EU, click here. To buy it in the USA click here, or go to Drizly. In the UK you can also buy this Double Oak Finish from Amazon. You can also find it on Master of Malt, with international shipping.
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