- Brandglendalough
- CountryIreland
- TypeIrish Whiskey
- Size750ml
- SKU 210000046447
Glendalough Irish Whiskey 7 year Mizunara Cask Finished
Founded by five friends in the Wicklow mountains outside of Dublin, Glendalough distillery looks to bring back the magic of Irish craft whiskey distilling that’s been lost in the face of the massive operations like Midleton and Bushmills. Founded in 2011, Glendalough is a relative newcomer to the whiskey world, but isn’t afraid to eschew traditional Irish whiskey norms to explore new territories. After originally sourcing whiskies from Cooley distillery, they released their first expressions with their own distillate in 2019 and have created a cult following around the world since. They now have a solid core offering of mostly non-age stated whiskies but have recently explored using famous Japanese Mizunara oak in their more limited expressions.
The nose begins with a thick, syrupy, sweet character with notes of treacle, honey, orange, chocolate, and molasses. It’s a rich, dessert-y nose that reminds me of an orange sticky toffee pudding. As it settles in the glass it returns with a burst of honey. It’s an unusual nose that’s unlike any Irish whiskey I’ve had previously.
On the palate, there is a burst of flavor at the onset. Starts with another blast of honey before moving to baked pastry, with stewed fruits, and bright citrus. Then comes waves of chocolate, sugared lemon, cereal, and raisins. The Mizunara oak seems to have snuck some exotic wood notes, with a touch of incense and teak. Maybe some sandalwood oil. The mouthfeel is good, sticking and coating the mouth in a thick layer of whiskey goodness. But the palate is not nearly as sweet as the nose but remains unusual in the Irish category.
Medium length finish that goes floral. There’s a touch of heather, lavender, and rose mixed with fresh coffee grounds and black licorice.
