Gelston’s Single Malt
A four to five year old single malt matured in ex-bourbon casks. Bottled at 40% ABV and RRP of €34.
Omar Fitzell Notes
One of the most unusual noses of any Irish whiskey I’ve had. The easiest way to describe it is Christmas cake mixture before it’s cooked. The spirit, sultanas, almonds and some nutmeg.
Palate
Explosion of fruity yet nutty notes. Orange rind, raisins, hazelnuts and a slight brown sugar sweetness.
Finish
Those hazelnuts continue into a medium length finish.
Overall
At first taste this knocked me back a bit. It’s has an unusual nose and taste profile. I’m told it is bourbon casks, but this just roars an aggressive sherry cask maturation or finish. This is miles apart from the great 12yo Gelston’s cask finishes I’ve tried recently.
Al Higgins notes
Nose
Quite unique. Marzipan, linseed oil, seashells, almond oil, Danish oil, vanilla, preserved lemon and orange cake.
Palate
Again, this is an altogether new flavour profile for an Irish whiskey. More marzipan, some citrus with a weird oily flavour. At its best this lies in the nut oil/linseed oil area, but there’s a slightly unsettling wet stone/mineral/sushi note.
Finish
Wet stones, spice and a little oak.
Overall
A weird one. This must be from West Cork distillery. At this age profile there are strange things coming through. I’d like to see a bit more maturity.
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