Killowen distillery claims to be Eire‘s smallest distillery, working two handmade copper pot stills. Additionally they’re the one instantly fired stills within the nation. Brendan Carty based the model in 2017 so it’s clear that at the moment’s assessment just isn’t about their very own spirit.
Killowen Dalriadan – Half 1 of two is an 11-year-old blended malt whiskey impressed by the traditional kingdom of Dál Riata. It’s composed of 40% of smoky peated whisky from Islay (Caol Ila) and 60% triple distilled whiskey from a distillery within the North of Eire (our guess can be Bushmills?). Whereas the Islay part matured in ex-bourbon hogsheads, the Irish half additionally spent three years in oloroso sherry butts.
Killowen The Dalriadan – Half 1 of two – 11 yo (57,5%, OB 2021, Oloroso sherry butt end, 386 btl.)
Nostril: fairly fruity, displaying peaches, lemon sherbet and hints of pineapple sweet. Some raisin richness too. Behind this can be a drier layer of leather-based and coal smoke – a younger however relatively closely peated Islay profile. Burnt wooden chips, hints of pancetta. Collectively they create a type of sweeter model of Caol Ila, so to talk.
Mouth: an analogous sweetness and fruitiness. There’s pineapple and a touch of mango, with candy lemon sweet on the aspect. It confirms the Bushmills provenance. Refined greener, grassier notes within the background, in addition to a pinch of white pepper. All this comes with beneficiant peaty notes, smouldering ashes and charred notes. Good steadiness, though the warmth is slightly an excessive amount of.
End: lengthy, nonetheless relatively sizzling, with natural smoke, minty notes and cracked peppercorns.
Take a great high quality Islay single malt blended and mix this with a fruity Irish whiskey. What’s to not like? Each elements are properly dosed, going backwards and forwards with out overpowering one another. It is probably not consultant of Killowen as a distillery , however as a blender they know what they’re doing. The one draw back is the value – bear in mind it’s solely a 50 cl bottle. Nonetheless accessible from The Whisky Alternate.
