Back in March as I was about to begin the series of reviews of Pearse Irish Whiskey, Conor Ryan, their Global Whiskey Ambassador, presented me with a little sample of what was to come. Their very own spirit, a 5 year old single malt at Cask Strength. Alas, I wasn’t permitted to write about it….until now!
On Thursday last, their Cask Strength launched as a travel exclusive to The Loop at Dublin Airport. Limited to 1,000 bottles, individually numbered and bottled at 59.3%, it hails the first release from Pearse Lyons Distillery that is wholly their own spirit. Further to this release, a 4,000 bottle release of 46% ABV. 5 year old whiskey is expected shortly, but I haven’t tried that yet. The Cask Strength box and bottle, much like the distillery, is designed to be a real eye catcher. The box is embossed, both raised and lowered, laying out the design of St James’s Church steeple where the Pearse Lyons Distillery is located, along with details that can be found inside the church. The bottle just roars lushness. Copper printed labels that are also raised with the superb bottle shape make it a stand out design. The cork stopper has some interesting detail to it as well. It has 6 copper rings engraved into it symbolising the 5 generations of Coopers that were in Pearse Lyon’s family, with the 6th ring for him as the 6th generation involved in the whiskey business. So, onto the tasting notes;
Nose – Very light. Citrus to the fore with some fruitiness in there. Some lemon meringue more pronounced as I continue to nose it. With the addition of water it turns more towards vanilla notes.
Palate – Very light, malt taste with some orchard fruit. White pepper hits me fairly quickly. For me, the addition of water helps a lot. Draws back on the white pepper and allows loads of vanilla in. Some Orange peal zest in there too.
Finish – Nice medium to long finish. The warmth lingers, even with a few drops of water added. Clove rocks seems to be the final note before it disappears from the mouth.
Overall – An enjoyable dram that isn’t too complex. Its still young days for Pearse Whiskey so this really is a showcase of whats to come. I expect over the next few years that it will transition into something spectacular with some more aging but for a distillery that is only 5 years old, its easy to see that they are heading in the right direction! I could nearly use it as an excuse to fly somewhere just to pick a bottle up!!
If you’re interested in reading more about Pearse Irish Whiskey, have a look at our previous reviews below;
This sample was provided free of charge by Pearse Irish Whiskey to the author. No monetary reward was received for the review. The review, as with all reviews, was written subjectively and not influenced in anyway.
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