Greenore 18yo (46%, Cooley Distillery PLC Single Grain Irish Whiskey)

A distinctive nose; sharp and vibrant, lively and pleasing. Slightly floral but contrasted by some good wood notes. Not overly complex however this is not a negative observation, the notes that present are very good. A little hand warming brings out some sweet grain, again very nice. The taste is very, very gentle and smooth along with the grain and the sweetness. Oh my, this is really sensational whiskey, no wonder the younger sibling is winning awards. A little oiliness in the back ground along with some really good grain notes. Beautiful. The finish has a flash of a really good gin (hints of juniper?) and then the sweet grain muscles its way back to the for. Mouth filling and gentle at the same time. Long and very, very perfect.

Brilliant. No idea on price – sample kindly provided by the proprietors. On of the top whiskies sampled in 2011.

Score 90 points

 http://www.cooleywhiskey.com/