Knappogue Castle 1997 Ex-Libris Wind of Spices 24 yo

 

 

 

54,4°

Distillery Officially Unknown - Ireland

Sherry Cask 

Independent Bottling 

By La Maison du Whisky

Limired Edition 

Single Cask 

Bottled in 2022

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured, Cask Strength

Totally Unpeated 

I'm still not sure about the provenance of this one, but some well-informed people have told me it's Bushmills, and that would make sense. Irish Distillers, which has been part of Pernod Ricard since 1988, sold Bushmills to Diageo in 2005. As a result, they can no longer use the Bushmills name, but they certainly have some old Bushmills casks hidden away in their warehouses. So they need to find another name to market these casks. And that's exactly what happened in 2021, when Irish Distillers bought the Knappogue Castle brand. That same year, five old vintages, 25 years and older, were launched by La Maison du Whisky, under the Knappogue Castle name. And the following year, there were three, including this one, aged for 24 years in a single Sherry cask. There was nothing after that, perhaps because they only had those eight casks. 526 bottles were put on sale. 

 

 

 

Let's Taste It : 

The sherry comes to the fore, red fruits with runny pulp, cherries, blueberries, gooseberries, with pastry notes, pie crust, cake cream. Pan-fried beetroot, roasted figs, spices, thyme, rosemary. Dark chocolate and coffee. Behind, you can detect a few cereals, but it's very light. On the palate, damsons and other red plums, old wood, chocolate and coffee become more prominent, but combined with blackberry jam and blood oranges, the spices are somewhat forgotten in all this. The finish is long, rich and explosive, with coffee now omnipresent, cocoa grounds, nutmeg, pepper, cloves, dates, prunes, brown tobacco.

 

In Short, 

Of course, you have to like Sherry, but it's still an excellent product, wonderfully well made. You can recognise Ireland with its cereal intensity, but above all it's Sherry. You can still find a few bottles on certain websites, but the price is very high, so not everyone has rushed out to buy it. If you can afford it, you won't regret your purchase.

Score : 90

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping :

 

                                           Rod Stewart - I Don't Want To Talk About It

Bushmills 1989 The Causeway Collection 32 yo c. 6096

 

 

 

50,1°

Distillery : Bushmills - Ireland 

Port Cask

Original Bottling 

Limited Edtion 

Single Cask

Bottled in 2021

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured, Cask Strength

Totally Unpeated

The Causeway Collection is a range of very good, well-aged casks, which was launched in 2020. This one was bottled in 2021, along with its twin brother, #6095, also Port, and which let the juice macerate for 32 years as well. They are among the oldest Bushmills. There's only a 35-year-old released in 2013, which didn't wow the crowds. This beauty, bottled for La Maison du Whisky, has already made a bigger impression. Only 228 bottles went on sale.

Let's Taste It : 

It's the fruit that strikes first, but I didn't recognise any of the Port characteristics, as it was very well integrated. Raspberry jam, a few blackberries, baked apples, cinnamon and a bit of clove. Then the cereals are revealed, wheat, barley, a grain of corn. Noble wood, varnish, a few floral fragrances. Earthy, complex, deep. On the palate, it's honeyed, the cereals come first, but there are also a few red plums, blueberries, acerola and passion fruit. Milk chocolate and melting caramel, it's sweet. Liquorice stick. Very well-managed, discreet spices add fullness. It becomes almost sparkling, on cola, even citrus, and then comes the finish, earth and brown sugar, a little carbonated, very long, a few blackcurrant berries. A pinch of salt.

 

In Short, 

So we are obviously blown away. The great quality of this expression, in my opinion, is that the Port is not at all overpowering, and leaves plenty of room for other flavours, without at all obliterating the distillery's hallmarks. It's extremely well done. That said, I'm very impressed, but not overwhelmed. Except for the finish, which is truly incredible. As for the price, I won't comment on that until my lawyer is present. Thank you to whoever made the sacrifice to bring us this nectar.

Score : 90 

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping :

                                           The Walkabouts - The Light Will Stay on

Method and Madness 2002 Single Malt 14 yo

 

 

 

46° 

Distillery :Old Bushmills - Ireland

2nd Fill Bourbon Barrels and Virgin Oak Limousin Hogsheads 

Original Bottling

Limited Edition 

Single Malt 

Bottled in 2017

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured 

Totally Unpeated

This Single Malt, produced at the Method and Madness micro-distillery in Midleton, is a surprising experiment. First of all, the juice was distilled in Bushmills and not in Midleton itself! This dates back to the time when Bushmills belonged to Irish Distillers, the current owners of Midleton. Secondly, it is a blend of 2nd fill bourbon casks and Limousin virgin oak.

Let's Taste It : 

Although rather pleasant, the nose is nothing exceptional: slightly spicy malt, freshly cut young wood, ethereal vanilla. On the palate, a touch of caramel and molasses, lemon and almond, chestnuts, then a peppery, spicy, somewhat fruity finish. Quinces, orange peel, bananas. It's not bad, but despite some distinctive features, it struggles to stand out and assert itself. The typical Irish whiskey character is lost in an experimentation that yields few results.

 

In Short,

What's the point of copying Scotch whiskies? While I was thrilled by the Single Grain in the same range, this bottling doesn't seem very conclusive to me. When you experiment, there are bound to be failures.

Score : 83

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping :

  

                                           The Corrs - Breathless

Bushmills 16 yo Rare Matured in Three Woods

 

 

 

40°

Distillery : Old Bushmills - Ireland

American Oak and Oloroso Sherry Casks, Port Pipes Finish

Original Bottling 

Core Range 

Single Malt

Launched in 1996

Totally Unpeated  

Triple distillation and triple maturation make this Irish Whiskey a complex process.

Let's Taste It : 

On the nose, sandalwood and spring freshness, eucalyptus, mint chocolate, Armenian paper, mahogany, but the fruits are also there, pear, apple, plums and grapes, mango. On the palate, the american casks are more present, with fine salt and exotic fruits, banana, papaya, passion fruit. A few cereals here and there, but in the background, combined with rich spices. Unfortunately, the finish is a bit short, wine lees, tannins, a pinch of oily earth and fruity hints that fade.

 

In Short, 

Very pleasant, the influence of the port makes itself felt and adds complexity to the whole, without detracting from the smooth, cereal-like character of the distillery. Unfortunately, the price is a little high, so it's best reserved for aficionados.

Score : 86

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                          To Be Listened While Sipping :

  

                                                    Weather Report - Birdland

Bushmills 21 yo Rare Matured in Three Woods

 

 

 

40°

Distillery : Old Bushmills - Ireland

Oloroso and Bourbon Casks, Madeira Finish

Original Bottling 

Core Range 

Single Malt 

Launched in 2001

Totally Unpeated

 

 

 

Triple distilled and triple matured, the pinnacle of the Bushmills range stands out not only for its age, but also for the complexity of its production.

 

 

 

Let's Taste It : 

Slightly maderised nose, suave, very smooth, wild mint, cereals, fermented prune, all well oaked, with a zest of lemon and sherry. Varnish, heather earth, eucalyptus leaf. On the palate, it's very straightforward, with puffed rice, corn and all kinds of grain, it's very pot still, is it really Single Malt? But it's still very subtle, and the fruit shows its face: damsons, greengages, cranberries. Sweet spices, paprika, nutmeg and dill. The finish is pleasant, sparkling, not very long but soft and woody.

 

In Short, 

It's very good, and the triple maturation is really interesting, but it should be reserved for fans of the genre. The price is a deterrent, it doesn't match the quality of the product. 

Score : 87

                                          To Be Listened While Sipping :

   

                                          Herbie Hancock - Cantaloupe Island

Bushmills Original

40°

Distillery : Old Bushmills, Midleton - Ireland

Ex-Bourbon Barrels and Oloroso Sherry Casks

Original Bottling

Core Range

Blended Whiskey

Totally Unpeated

This is an extremely well-known expression, a Blended Whiskey that is very popular among the general public.

Let's Taste It : 

On the nose, vanilla, honey and red fruits, mixed with almond and a few cereals, which is confirmed as soon as it enters the mouth. Sandalwood. Armenian paper. Young apple, mint leaf. It's mixed with a hint of molasses, caramel and lemon, and on the finish there's a touch of coarse salt and a note of gooseberry. It's a bit pungent, not a very long aftertaste. Damp red earth. Slight acidity. Varnished wood. A touch of solvent at the end. Cola. 

In Short, 

It's not bad at all. Except for the finish, which is a bit too rough. It's good value for money for beginners, but of little interest to experts.

Score : 78

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping : :

  

                                           Johnny Clegg & Savuka - Asimbonanga