This 28 year old single malt was first distilled in 1991 and matured in bourbon casks, then allowed to marry in Sauternes wine casks, for a truly unique Irish whiskey taste experience.

Tasting notes by Serge Valentin: 90 points

An intriguing flat bottle that looks a bit like a bourbon’s, no? Or, indeed, a Canadian’s. Having said that, we had a few 27s (right, two of them) and I have to say they were all totally stellar. This 28 was finished in Sauternes for no less than eight (8) years, which ‘may’ sound a bit superfluous since the juice was probably ueber-fruity in the first place, but let’s see what happened…

Colour: deep gold.

Nose: some old ‘B’ that would have been taken back to European pastures. I mean, what I’m finding is rather all around orchard fruits, greengages, plums, perhaps banana skins indeed, but also fresh walnuts, melons… In other words, no mango and maracuja extravaganza this time. Interesting (and lovely, as expected)…

Mouth: what an unusual brew! Where else would you find patchouli, green tobacco, apple peel, walnut peel, pistachios, zucchini and dried mushrooms, and only then some brighter fruitiness? Around guavas and elderflower syrup, perhaps. A few pencil shavings as well (where those château barrels?) then various herbal teas, then coffee dregs, crude cocoa powder and very black tea.

Finish: pretty long and very bizarrely, much more on the ‘usual’ tropical fruits, before the cocoa and the cedar shavings would strike back in the aftertaste, together with some menthol.

Comments: this is clearly not one of the utter tropical fruit bombs that we’ve learned to love, but on the other hand, it’s extremely coherent and complex. Oh and it feels older than 28, perhaps even 40. Seriously. Gle mhaith!