The Tyrconnell 16 Year Old Oloroso & Moscatel Cask Finish Single Malt Irish Whiskey
06/08/2019
The Tyrconnell emerges victorious once again with the debut of its oldest and most unique cask-finished expression to date, The Tyrconnell 16 Year Old Oloroso & Moscatel Cask Finish Single Malt Irish Whiskey. Available globally in six countries, it will be released to select U.S. markets in June with a suggested retail price of $100.00 (750ml). Only a limited quantity has been produced due to its age and unique finish.
“We are thrilled to release The Tyrconnell 16 Year Old Oloroso & Moscatel Cask Finish, as the elegant expression demonstrates our commitment to innovation and quality,” said John Cashman, Global Irish Whiskey Ambassador for the Kilbeggan Distilling Company. “Building on the success of our award-winning 2017 and 2018 Tyrconnell limited releases, we continued to experiment with different aging techniques and we’re intrigued by these distinctively seasoned Spanish casks. The result is a completely unique – and delicious – Irish whiskey unlike any other.”
The only Irish whiskey of its kind on the market, this expression was aged for 16 years in American White Oak ex-bourbon barrels before an additional maturation in wine casks from the Andalucia region of Southern Spain, which were initially seasoned with Oloroso sherry before a second seasoning with Moscatel wine. The result has a distinctive sweetness and roundness – honeysuckle, champagne and jasmine notes, with a nutty and caramelized taste that precedes a warm and dry finish with hints of grapefruit.
The Tyrconnell is made of just three ingredients – the finest Irish barley, yeast and pure Irish spring water. Produced in traditional pot stills, it is one of a rare few Irish whiskeys that utilizes double distillation, allowing more of the rich and natural flavors to remain. This creates a whiskey that carries a delicate flavor atop a creamier, more viscous presence.
The Tyrconnell distilling team began experimenting with different finishing techniques after discovering how amenable their light, soft and fruity whiskey was to a cask finish. In 2007, they released its first trio of cask-finished expressions: The Tyrconnell 10 Year Old Madeira Cask Finish, The Tyrconnell 10 Year Old Port Cask Finish and The Tyrconnell 10 Year Old Sherry Cask Finish, all permanent expressions in the brand’s portfolio (as well as The Tyrconnell Original which is aged in ex-bourbon casks only). In March 2018, The Tyrconnell 15 Year Old Madeira Cask Finish debuted as a special limited-edition.
TASTING NOTES: THE TYRCONNELL 16 YEAR OLD OLOROSO & MOSCATEL CASK FINISH
PROOF 46% ABV
AROMA An effervescent combination of honeysuckle, jasmine and brazil nut envelop the malty peach and ripe red apple skin aromas, with minerality reminiscent of Champagne
TASTE Minerality continues with a medley of nuts and gooey dark chocolate – caramelized sugars and honeycomb combine with the malt spice for added complexity
FINISH Dry and tannic as the oak becomes more prevalent but not before citrus and grapefruit leave a distinctive zest at the back of the mouth
The best way to enjoy this whiskey is on the rocks or neat to showcase the fruity aromas on the nose, its sweet, nutty flavor and spicy finish.
The legend of The Tyrconnell was born in 1876, when R. M. Delamere entered his beautiful chestnut colt, Tyrconnell, in the 10th running of the prestigious National Produce Stakes Horse Race at The Curragh, considered Ireland’s most important thoroughbred racecourse. A short thoroughbred with the odds stacked against him – he was far from the ‘jolly,’ or favorite to win on this fateful day – but fortune found favor that afternoon as Tyrconnell crossed the finish line in first place, besting horses and oddsmakers alike on his march to victory.
The against-all-odds victory captured the imagination of the assembled crowd, which included the Watts, an Irish race horse loving family who had built a thriving whiskey distillery. They chose to commemorate Tyrconnell’s win by creating a limited edition, small batch whiskey that bore the name of their local champion. Although the Watts family intended to make The Tyrconnell just once, it ended up becoming their most popular whiskey, even claimed to have been the best-selling Irish whiskey in America before Prohibition.
About The Tyrconnell® Single Malt Irish Whiskey
The Tyrconnell is produced at the Cooley Distillery, nestled in the foothills of the Cooley Mountains in County Louth. The Cooley Distillery, part of the Kilbeggan Distilling Company, has been the driving force behind the Irish Single Malt evolution. Most Irish malt whiskey has traditionally found its way into blended whiskeys, thus it is rare to find Irish malt whiskey bottled in its single malt form. The award-winning Tyrconnell portfolio includes The Tyrconnell, The Tyrconnell 16 Year Old Limited Edition, The Tyrconnell 15 Year Old Madeira Cask Finish Limited Edition and a trio of 10 Year Old cask finished expressions: Madeira Cask, Sherry Cask and Port Cask. The Cooley Distillery also produces the award-winning Kilbeggan Blended Irish whiskey, Kilbeggan Single Grain and Connemara Peated Single Malt Irish whiskey. For more information on The Tyrconnell, please visitwww.thetyrconnellwhiskey.com