The Sliabh Liag (Slieve League) distillery in county Donegal are one of a few in the area wanting to reestablish the rich, and sometimes illicit distilling history of western Ireland.
This is Silkie Midnight, a selection of Irish single malts vatted together, featuring cask selections of ex-bourbon, sherry, red wine, virgin oak and imperial stout casks, with 35% of this whisky being peated to 55PPM. On paper this all sounds like a wonderful thing. The bourbon, virgin oak and stout casks shine the brightest in this mix, but I do feel that there’s a masking of any character or style. So many casks on a younger whisky seems a little overkill for me, but this won’t impact my overall view of a new distillery in Ireland who are starting out on a strong foot.
When it comes to history and whisky nerd excitement, this place covers a lot of ground and doesn’t show any signs of stopping. Check it out when and where you can. Cheers!
Mark’s Whisky Ramblings 482: Nc’nean Batch RA08
Mark Dermul, Belgian whiskyblogger, tries another Nc’nean. While the ‘normal’ batches continue unabated (at the time of filming Batch 18 was already a fact), Nc’nean launched two completely new batches in 2022 with a new system of numbering. In addition to this Batch RA08, there is also a Batch BU06. This first one (which is now also in my glass) was composed with 43% STR red wine casks, 55% former American whiskey barrels (the vast majority of which are first fill bourbon) and 2% oloroso sherry casks. Oh, yes, another small detail: the bottle is now not transparent green or opaque dark blue, but simply transparent – albeit with the same beautiful print.
Mark’s Whisky Ramblings 481: Old Rhosdhu 29 Year Old 1993 for The Roots
Mark Dermul, Belgian whiskyblogger, tries a 29-year-old malt! Belgian bottler The Roots selected a hogshead from the Loch Lomond distillery that was filled in 1993 with a spirit type that they produced between 1966 and 2000. The malt was given the name Old Rhosdhu. The hogshead, on which this malt lay dormant for almost three decades, yielded 222 bottles at cask strength. The malt was neither colored nor chill filtered.
ralfy review 964 – Springbank 12yo Cask @53.2%vol (OSWA Winner 2022)
It’s been so long since I’ve reviewed a Loch Lomond product that the time has come! Aged for a majority of its life in ex-American Oak, and then being finished for a short period in Limousin Oak casks, this is a rich, volumous, and very flavourful single malt. Encompassing all parts of the flavour chart, including that subtle smoke that the standard Loch Lomond is famous for. This is another epitome of classic Highland style.
Episode 496 – Not Everything in the Garden Smells of Roses!
Welcome to this week’s episode of the show. It’s titled, Not Everything in the Garden Smells of Roses! Which says it all really. Filmed in The Study Nottingham Featuring Knockdhu 8 year old, Tomatin NAS, Speyside 12 year old, Macduff 7 year old, Caol Ila 14 year old Ledaig 11 year old
ralfy review 963 – Redbreast 12yo @ 56.3%vol: (OSWA winner 2022)
