The Irishman Original Clan Irish Whiskey was created by a Mr. Bernard Walsh who took a some barrels of triple distilled Irish Single Malt (Bushmills I’m thinking) and blended it together with some Single Pot Still whiskey (Midleton would my guess) at a ratio of 70 / 30. What this means is that you get some of those great Irish single malt notes bolstered by some nice SPS notes.
To put this in Scotch terms this would be like a pure malt blend which is where they take single malts from 2 or more distilleries and blend them together without the addition of any grain whiskey. Though both styles are very unique so it wouldn’t be like blending 2 different Speysides together it, it would be more like blending an Islay with a Speyside only you know… no peat. Like a Bruichladdich Islay Barley with a Glenmorangie 10 or something to that effect.
The Irishman Original Clan Irish Whiskey Review
Blender / Bottler:The Irishman Whiskey
Distiller: Bushmills & Midleton (?)
Age: NAS
ABV: 40%
Mashbill: 100% barley (70% 3x distilled Single Malt 30% Single Pot Still)
Price: $20
EYE
Caramel
NOSE
Butterscotch, bananas, caramel syrup, orchard fruit and Bit O’ Honey come wafting through with some nice warm coppery malty pot still notes circling about. Not overly complex or dynamic, but nice.
PALATE
Banana, caramel, pears and toasted nuts are injected with a more solid note of that malty pot still character and a light butterscotch. The SPS isn’t as strong as I’d like it to be, but the fact that it’s there at all is nice because I don’t think the single malt used in this one would be able to stand on it’s own.
FINISH
Long finish of malt, butterscotch, and pot still with a little bit of graininess coming in at the end.
BALANCE, BODY & FEEL
Moderately balanced with the sweet notes hanging a little heavy. Medium body and nice a slick texture.
OVERALL
The Irishman Original Clan Irish Whiskey is good stuff. Even if it’s not tremendously complex it’s just an out and out fun daily drinker. Warm, sweet, fruity and malty nose meets silky, sweet, fruity and malty palate in a simple and pleasant manner. This is something I could easily come home from work, pour a glass and start writing a review for The Whiskey Jug… which is exactly what happened when I wrote this. My only major complaint is I wish there was more pot still. I would love to try this with the the 70/30 Single malt / Single Pot Still reversed; I’m sure it would be increadible.
SCORE: 85/100
