Grace O’Malley Rum Cask Finish
A blend of double distilled malt (40%) and triple distilled malt (6%) and grain whiskeys finished in rum casks from Jamaica and Barbados. Bottled at 42% ABV and on sale with a RRP of €65.
Omar Fitzell Notes
Really soft a first, the nose benefits from gentle hand warmth. Malt is accompanied by a digestive biscuit. Banana, mango and some dried fruits all there if you dig deep enough.
Palate
Creamy mouth feel that starts with orchard fruits and continues through to tropical fruits. Apples on to mango and
then a touch of pineapple.
Finish
Short to medium that has a slight toasted oak note with a ginger spice.
Overall
I am generally a fan of rum casks and this is no exception. A well priced, well blended whiskey.
Al Higgins notes
Nose
Melted butter, salted caramel, Werther’s originals, banana fritters, roasted pineapple. Pretty easy to spot the rum
cask influence!
Palate
The grain whiskey component is quite dominant but the rum casks rescue this and elevate it considerably. Distinct Jamaican rum notes with pineapple, banana, all kinds of other tropical fruits along with some butterscotch and salted caramel. Nice juiciness with a mouth-watering quality.
Finish
Saline, fruity, long.
Overall
A BIG cask finish meaning this might not be for everyone. It almost tastes more like a Jamaican rum than a whiskey. That’s absolutely fine by me however, I am a fan.
Omar Fitzell
Omar has been lurking in the background of the Irish Whiskey Industry since 2010 when he started his journey through tasting, enjoying and collecting whiskey. In January 2018 he launched the online blog “That’s Dram Good” which, in those few short months, has become one of the most popular whiskey blogs in Ireland.
You can find him on:
• Twitter – @thatsdramgood
• Facebook – ThatsDramGood
Al Higgins
Over 20 years of experience in drinks retail and a member of the team at the Celtic Whiskey Shop since 2003. Alastair is chief tester and taster at the shop and is also coordinator for the Irish Whiskey Awards. When he is not working he is either training for ultra-marathons, parenting or drumming with his band Le Galaxie.
You can find him on:
• Twitter – @mostlydrinking