If The Nectar Of The Daily Drams 26 Years Irish Single Malt was made at Cooley then it comes from the distillery’s very first year in operation. The only other option for 1987 distilled Irish Single Malt is Bushmills and doesn’t contain any of the the flavors or aromas I’m used to finding in Bushmills. However, that doesn’t mean they couldn’t have been covered up by what appears to have been a sherry cask. The reason Midleton isn’t considered as a possible source is because they don’t make single malt, they make Single Pot Still which is different style of whiskey.
Bottled for La Maison du Whisky, the Nectar Of The Daily Drams 26 Years Irish Single Malt is absurdly good and there’s a good reason it picked up some acclaim in 2015 – it’s something of an anomaly in the Irish Whiskey world. The combination of being non-chill filtered, cask strength, aged for over 20 years and coming from something other than an ex-bourbon barrel put in it a rather small pool of Irish Whiskey.
Nectar Of The Daily Drams 26 Years Irish Single Malt Info
Region: County Louth, Ireland
Distiller: Cooley or Bushmills
Bottler: La Maison du Whisky
Mashbill: Irish Single Malt
Cask: refill sherry?
Age: 26 years
ABV: 51.6%
Cask Strength | Non-Chill Filtered | Natural Color
Price: $350
Nectar Of The Daily Drams 26 Years Irish Single Malt Review
EYE
Caramel
NOSE
Grapefruit peels, malt, dried fruit, brown sugar, spice and light notes of dried strawberries and earthiness. Compared to the upcoming palate the nose is a touch light, but it’s definitely not un-expressive and water brings out more layers and complexity.
PALATE
Grapefruit peels, malt, strawberries, brown sugar, dried fruit, spice and a touch of earth, caramel heavy dark sweets and nuts. The flavor is complex, chewy and nuanced. Water brings out additional dark, sweet and earthy notes with a touch of ash, nuts and a character that makes me think it came from a sherry cask. It’s the kind of dram I want to spend some serious time with.
FINISH
Long fade of grapefruit peels, malt, dried fruit, earth and spice.
BALANCE, BODY & FEEL
Well balanced, round full body and a thick heavy feel.
OVERALL
Nectar Of The Daily Drams 26 Years Irish Single Malt is awesome and if the suspected source for this whiskey is indeed Cooley then it’s from the very first year Cooley was in operation and glimpse of whiskey history. If it comes from Bushmills then it’s the oldest Bushmills ever bottled, to my knowledge, and the best Bushmills I’ve ever tasted. Though the overall character just doesn’t scream Bushmills to me.
This dark fruit and dark sweets pairing with the typically honied fruit of an Irish single malt makes for a dynamic and complex whiskey. The cask type it was in isn’t listed on the bottle, but it has notes reminiscent of a sherry cask, so I’m thinking it’s probably coming out of a refill-sherry, though that’s just a guess. What isn’t a guess though is how much I like this whiskey; it’s something I’d be happy to drink any day of the year.
SCORE: 93-96/100 (A, not consumed at home)
