Glendalough 13-year Mizunara Finish Single Malt Irish Whiskey Review

TASTE: A sensuous mouthfeel that’s luxuriously sweet, the texture of agave syrup, but not remotely cloying | light smoke, white pepper and peppermint |orange peel, clover honey, just a delight to roll around the mouth

FINISH: Short and sweet with a little spice; exhale through your nose to reveal nice wood character

SHARE WITH: Irish whiskey experts and novices to get many opinions.

WORTH THE PRICE: Mine was a press sample, but I’d not pay $110 for bottle. This is a fun and delicious dram, but it’s pricey for what it delivers. A hardcore and more knowledgeable Irish whiskey fan may think otherwise, hence my “Share With” suggestions above.

BOTTLE, BAR OR BUST: Bar all the way.

OVERALL: This whiskey spent 13 years in former bourbon casks before an unspecified finish in Mizunara oak barrels. Mizunara is a difficult-to-cooper Japanese wood that tends to leak due to its irregular wood grain, but purists revere it for ability to soften spirits and impart notes of vanilla and fresh fruit. Those attributes sound great and are largely on display here, but not potently enough. I appreciate it being a delicate spirit, but that left this drinker fighting too hard to discover its nuances. Perhaps after the liquid gets more air time, more details will emerge.

Learn more about Steve’s whiskey preferences and check out more of his reviews…