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Slane is a blended Irish whiskey aged in a combination of virgin-oak, refill-American-whiskey and oloroso-sherry casks. The result is an elegant and spicy dram with notes of caramel, dried fruit, caramel and butterscotch.
Slane Irish Whiskey Review:
Flavored Whisk(e)y is another of those topics that I tend to be a bit touchy on. You see, the thing is that there is almost always a fine line between a flavored whiskey that is complex and tasty and one that is simply cover-up for a spirit that just doesn’t have what it takes on its own. And as much as I like the taste of Irish whiskey, particularly Jameson, I’m not quite sure that I’d go to any great lengths to have a bottle of Irish whiskey in my bar. As a result, I was a bit skeptical when I was given a bottle of Slane to review. In the end, I have to say that the only thing that really changed my mind was the fact that I know Chris and that he’s a class act of genuinely nice guy who wouldn’t just hand me a bottle of swill. So, The Wife and I sat down one evening to give it a try.
Distillery: Midleton
ABV: 40%
Yes, you read that right. Slane Irish Whiskey is a NAS (No Age Stated) whiskey. Yes, it seems shocking to me too, but it’s true. Why do I bring this up? Well, I just want to point out that, while NAS has its place, in the world of whiskey, I really like to know the age of a whiskey. Hence, Slane is the first whiskey I’ve ever had that I couldn’t really qualify as to the level of quality that it would bring to a drink. Oh well. I guess we’re just going to have to try it and see what happens.
Tasting Notes:
Nose:
On the nose, Slane is sweet, fruity, spicy and floral, with notes of Oloroso sherry, dusty caramel, dried fruit and butterscotch.
Color:
Slane, as would be expected from a lighter whiskey, is a bright and light golden yellow color. The color of light gold, almost. It’s attractive.
Taste:
Slane presents on the palate with a surprising viscosity. It is much more oily and rich than you would expect from a NAS whiskey on the nose. In fact, it’s almost like a high-quality blend of spirits, with flavors of dried fruit, apple and pineapple joined with a hint of vanilla, fresh hay, a touch of floral and spicy, but no hint of harshness. The finish is warm with an emphasis on some spicy notes of dried fruit and nutty notes.
Finish:
The finish is warm but in a good way. It works well to coat the mouth in a pleasant warmth with a lingering flavor of dried fruit and a bit of earthiness.
Slane Irish Whiskey Review :
Conclusion:
As I was saying, I think Irish whiskey gets a bad reputation. Not everybody likes Jameson and that’s okay. I don’t drink it all that much either. But I do like a good sipping whiskey and I’m glad to have given Slane Irish Whiskey a try. It’s enjoyable and it presents as very tasty beverage. I’d recommend it.
Slane Irish Whiskey Review – The Bottom Line:
Slane is a blend of whiskeys aged in a combination of virgin-oak, refill-American-whiskey and Oloroso-sherry casks. It is available in the United States and is being imported by Tuthilltown Spirits of New York. ITsells for approximately $30 a 750ml bottle.
