Once in a while you find an exceptional whiskey that becomes you. One that you think is your whiskey, your go to everyday drinker. For me I have a few of these but last year I think I really found that “one”. The whole story needs to be told before we get to the end result. So back in June or so last year I posted a picture of a Dunvilles PX 12 year old as part of the #FridayNightDram on twitter. As people discussed this beautiful whiskey (a sourced one), someone asked why they don’t release a cask strength version. So I tagged in Jarlath Watson from Echlinville Distillery and within a few minutes we had our answer. “It exists”. A simple response that could only to create an excitement and even some mystery. Immediately I gave Jarlath a call. Within the call he said that they thought the Dunvilles PX 12 was better served at 46%. I begged him to allow me prove this wrong with a live #FridayNightDram tasting. Within a few weeks plans were a foot and we had just under 30 samples ready to be sent out to those who were selected. They had no details of what they were getting. A bottle, covered in black crepe paper with a red wax seal was all they knew they were getting.
As the night arrived I could tell Echlinville were nervous. Its a fairly big deal to give out samples of whiskey to people who could literally rip it apart…..particularly when it wasn’t a planned release. But boy did they have nothing to worry about. The feedback was resounding. Bottle this and bottle it NOW! We broke the internet and Trended Number 1 in Ireland. It was one of the most successful #FridayNightDram sessions we have had with massive interaction from those who had samples and those who were just following along.
Roll forward 4 months after loads of phone calls, emails and clinical review of the twitter comments, on the run up to Christmas I received a bottle of the PX Cask Strength…..but a full bottle with an actual Cask Strength label! This was it…..they were going ahead and actually doing it! It was as sublime as I remember. Mouthwatering goodness. Now, two months later it is here. And boy is it just as good as I remember. I have no doubt that these 300 bottles will run out the door and I should publicly say, that while its nickname is “Omar’s Whiskey”, I have no affiliation with Echlinville and receive nothing from the sales of the Cask Strength. The full details of the release is listed below but I have already done some tasting notes from last year.
Nose – So much going on with this. A dab of almond nuttiness that is complimented by milk chocolate. Blackberries and cherries with clove and nutmeg spice.
Palate – Yes its Cask Strength…….but it takes it so well!! Wonderful mouth feel that releases peaches, pineapples along with dried fruit that PX influence gives. Chocolate and green apples finish off the notes nicely as it mellows into a finish.
Finish – A warming long finish that leaves a beautiful mint note on the tip of my tongue before it disappears.
Overall – Tasting it again and I love it more and more. Bursting with flavours. Complex yet well balanced. Its a winner, all day, everyday and twice on Sunday.
*****PRESS RELEASE******
The Echlinville Distillery is expanding its award winning Dunville’s Irish Whiskey portfolio with the release of a Cask Strength expression of its iconic 12 year old Single Malt.
Dunville’s PX 12 Year Old Cask Strength Single Malt Irish Whiskey is finished in Pedro Ximenez sherry casks and bottled at 55% abv and has already been awarded a Category Win at this year’s World Whiskies Awards. Priced at £108, the first single cask bottling of approximately 300 bottles is available only from The Echlinville Distillery shop, either in store or online at https://shop.echlinville.com/
Dunville’s brand ambassador Jarlath Watson said: “When we revived the Dunville’s whiskey brand in 2012 we did so with the promise not to compromise in our desire to produce the finest whiskeys conceivable. We are staying true to that ethos with the release of Dunville’s PX Cask Strength. This is an intense, perfectly balanced, spicy, fruity, luxurious, sherry bomb of a whiskey that will sit proudly alongside the very best whiskeys of its genre.
“This release of around 300 bottles at 55% abv is only the second single cask whiskey from Dunville’s, the first being our 18 Year Old Port Mourant Rum Finish which was launched last year. We are excited to reveal that we are working on further releases in the Dunville’s Single Cask Series, a series of single cask whiskeys that will showcase the very best whiskeys in the Dunville’s warehouse and give our customers what they want – exceptional Irish whiskey, uncompromised and bottled at its optimum strength for the best possible quality and flavour.
“We firmly believe that PX 12 Cask Strength and the releases that will follow in the next few months further enhance Dunville’s global reputation, with each release helping us take another step towards restoring Dunville’s ‘The Spirit of Belfast’ to its rightful place among the world’s best whiskeys.”
Speaking about Dunville’s decision to release this cask strength expression of their already popular PX 12 single malt, Jarlath continued: “Dunville’s PX 12 Year Old standard expression has always been very well received but we also know there is a desire out there among the Irish whiskey community for a cask strength expression, so we are delighted to introduce PX Cask Strength to the Dunville’s portfolio.”
Dunville’s PX 12 Year Old Cask Strength Single Malt Irish Whiskey is available exclusively from The Echlinville Distillery online at https://shop.echlinville.com/products/dunvilles-px-12-year-old-single-malt-cask-strength or in-store at 62 Gransha Road, Kircubbin, Co. Down, BT22 1AJ. Distillery Shop open 11.30am-5pm Monday to Saturday.
For more information visit www.dunvilleswhiskey.com
Official tasting notes
Colour
Beautiful deep, dark, rich amber gold. The colour screams of the intensity of what is to come, and it does not lie.
Nose
Full of fruit. First dark fruits, cherries, plums, raisins, figs, then apricots, marzipan, caramelised stewed apples, pear drops and that candied orange grace note that is a constant across the Dunville’s range. The fruits merge with the incoming spices, cinnamon, clove, nutmeg and muscovado sugar to give the most glorious Christmas cake aromas, all wrapped up in wonderful clean oak wood.
Palate
Intense soft fruits, black cherries, caramelised orange peel, apple strudel, dates. Perfectly balanced with dark chocolate, demerara sugars and liquorice and a hint of mint, and all the way through that rustic cask char influence and PX sweetness that elevate this whiskey to something truly wonderful.
Finish
The length and intensity of the finish speaks of the quality of those PX casks. The dark fruits, sugars and spices all carry through with the oak char in almost perfect harmony, enveloped in a syrupy PX sweetness that carries the finish through for almost an eternity.
Overall
Dunville’s PX Cask Strength is an intense perfectly balanced, spicy, fruity, sherry bomb of a whiskey that will site proudly alongside the very best whiskeys of its genre.
That's Dram Good 