Glendalough Triple Barrel is a single grain whiskey made by “Ireland’s first craft distillery”. Founded in 2011 by a group of 5 friends the distillery started out making a poitin (potcheen) which, essentially, is to Ireland what moonshine is to American whiskey. The precursor to what would eventually become whiskey and what they used to help fund the distillery as their own stock, which must be a minimum of 3 years old, was aging.
They do sell a sourced single malt and their own distilled gin, but this and the double barrel are the real attractions. To make the Glendalough Triple Barrel they first age their whiskey for 3 and a half years in ex-bourbon barrels. They then age it for another 6 months in Oloroso sherry casks at which point the whiskey would normally be bottled as their Double Barrel, but a small amount of that whiskey was transferred to 6 Madeira casks and received a bit more finishing which gave birth to the Glendalough Triple Barrel.
Glendalough Triple Barrel Info
Region: Ireland
Distiller: Glendalough
Mashbill: Corn and Malted Barley
Cask: ex-Bourbon, ex-Sherry, ex-Maidera
Age: 4 years
ABV: 42%
Price: $50
Glendalough Triple Barrel Review
EYE
Amber
NOSE
Wine influence jumps right up front with a raisiny sweetness followed by notes of young malt, vanilla, toffee, pear heavy fruit and a light earthy bit of sawdust and a light floral note.
PALATE
Like with the nose the raisiny winy sweetness jumps out first followed by a sweet graininess, apricots, vanilla, fruit, young malt and again that light earthy bit of sawdust.
FINISH
Medium finish of malt, raisiny sweetness and a punch of port. I know it was finished in madeira casks, but it reminds me more of ports I’ve had than madeira.
BALANCE, BODY & FEEL
Nicely balanced with a round body and an oily feel.
OVERALL
At first I didn’t like the Glendalough Triple Barrel. I opened the bottle, poured my first glass, was not impressed and so I let it sit while I went about my evening writing up reviews and watching an episode of Vikings, my usual night in, and promptly forgot about it. I would have completely forgotten about it till the next day if I hadn’t set the glass near my laptop bag, but upon seeing it while putting my laptop away I gave it another try… and changed my attitude. It’s a young whiskey that takes some time to open up.
Being a single grain whiskey, Glendalough Triple Barrel, has elements of it that are reminiscent of American and Scottish whiskeys, but carries a fruity and youthful character that manages to come off cleanly without being cloying like some American craft whiskeys end up doing. I haven’t tried anything else that Glendalough has done, but after trying this I definitely want to. If they can get a young single grain to be this tasty I can’t imagine what their poitin and other spirits might taste like.
SCORE: 84/100
*Disclosure: This sample of Glendalough Triple Barrel was graciously sent to me by the company for the purposes of this review. The views, opinions, and tasting notes are 100% my own.
