Enigma 2006 Single Malt Irish 10 yo

 

 

 

44,3°

Distillery Officially Unknown - Ireland

1st Fill Ex-Bourbon Barrels

Independent Bottling 

By William Cadenhead Limited 

Limited Edition 

Single Malt 

Bottled in 2025

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured, Cask Strength

Totally Unpeated

 

 

 

This new Enigma bottling has everything to intrigue. For a start, it's officially 10 years old, but it's actually much older, having been distilled in 2006. Except that in 2016, it was imported to Scotland and re-racked into fresh Bourbon Barrels. It therefore spent 8 years in casks in Scotland, but that doesn't count, because an Irish Whiskey can only be aged in Ireland, otherwise it is downgraded and becomes an Irish Spirit. So the gentlemen at Cadenhead can only put on the bottle the number of years spent maturing in Ireland, and that's 10 years. But it's really an 18-year-old, which explains the low alcohol content, as it appears to be Cask Strength. I think I'm authorized to reveal that it's a Cooley, as I guessed it myself, the demonstrator only nodding when I said the name of the distillery. Only 726 bottles are on sale.

 

 

 

Let's Taste It : 

It's fresh and fruity, a good slice of vanilla, freshly harvested cereals, pineapple and passion fruit, a zest of lemon, dry hay and coconut. A very fine pinch of salt, earthy notes, orchard fruits and delicate floral touches. On the palate, it's honeyed, smooth, sweet butter toast, pastry cream, woven rattan rolls, shortbread biscuits, mellow spices but with character, cinnamon, cloves. The finish is long and woody, with a return to fruit and flowers, thistle blossom, dried banana, nettle infusion, roasted wheat, slivered almonds, sourdough bread.       

In Short, 

A very good Irish Whiskey, fruity, full of vanilla and floral as we like it, very complex and bursting with character. It's a golden opportunity, because we've got an 18-year-old for more or less the price of a 10-year-old, and what's more, it's a perfect success. Given the small number of bottles available, I think you'd better hurry. 

Score : 88

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping : 

 

                                           Dora Jar - Spell