Blackadder A Drop of the Irish is an undisclosed NAS Irish whiskey I tried at a recent Blackadder tasting. Being an Irish whiskey I made the conscious decision to try it first in the night to ensure I picked up all of the light subtle notes that usually accompany the vertical. After a round of notes, adding water and then taking notes again I let it sit for a few rounds before going back to it to see how it evolved over the evening.
What I found interesting was how well the Blackadder A Drop of the Irish didn’t get overwhelmed by the rest of the whiskies we tasted that night and at the end of the night it was one of the whiskies I happily accepted a second measure of. Not because it was my favorite of the evening, far from it in fact, but to see how it fared after an evening of tasting other cask strength whiskies and a rum. Interestingly enough my perspective didn’t change too much.
Blackadder A Drop of the Irish Info
Region: Ireland
Distiller: Undisclosed, but it tastes like Bushmills
Bottler: Blackadder
Mashbill: 100% Malted Barley
Cask: ex-Bourbon
Age: NAS
ABV: 60.4%
Cask Strength | Non-Chill Filtered | Natural Color
Batch: May 2015
Bottle: 140
Price: $130
Blackadder A Drop of the Irish Review
EYE
Light yellow
NOSE
Banana heavy fruit, malt, honey, spice and vanilla accompanied by light notes of dried apricot. Water brings out some light notes of orchard fruit and candy sweetness and is definitely needed. Without water I couldn’t smell anything but lightly banana scented alcohol.
PALATE
Banana dominates but is layered with a herbal nature, malt, tropical fruit and spice notes. Water brings out some additional dried orchard fruit and candy sweetness and like the nose is needed or all you get is something that tastes like a higher proof 99 Bananas.
FINISH
Malt, spice, fruit and an herbal nature flare out quickly with a burst of alcohol.
BALANCE, BODY & FEEL
Not well balanced, light body and a light waxy feel… after adding water. Before adding water it’s hot – one of the hottest whiskeys I’ve encountered; it was shocking and nearly took my breath away. I felt like I was 24 again and trying Booker’s for the first time.
OVERALL
Without water the Blackadder A Drop of the Irish is a hot, alcohol heavy, unruly beast of whiskey. You definitely need to add water and let it sit, so some of the alcohol can blow off. Once it does it becomes a lot more manageable and a bit more tasty with subtle notes arriving on the scene. Though I tell ya, without that water it tasted, and smelled, like a bowl of bananas soaked in Everclear.
Though even after some water and time that banana heavy character remains like the center of this whiskey’s universe; the large gravitational force that all the other notes are pulled towards and revolve around. Though none of those notes seem to be at a distance from this hot banana giant that allows life to form on them and so they remain lifeless spinning spheres of gas, rock and ice… metaphorically speaking of course.
SCORE: 77-79/100 (C+, not consumed at home)
