I’d like to thank the producers and their PR team for sending this review sample along with no strings attached.
I’m going to come right out and say it. I haven’t yet had a Single Malt Whiskey that I actually liked. Notice the Capital S on that categorization. See, I’ve liked the occasional whiskey that uses a large percentage of malt in its mash bill, but for some reason, once it is classified as a Single Malt Whiskey, the odds are that I’m not going to like it. But it really isn’t fair to those whiskeys. Over the years, I’ve simply discovered that I don’t actually like the flavor of malted grains in whiskey. It doesn’t matter if it is malted barley or the relatively recently introduced rye whiskeys that are, entirely or partially, made with malted rye grains. (Never had a whiskey that uses malted corn or malted wheat though so I can’t say on those.)
Of course that doesn’t mean I am going to stop trying them either. I mean, what fun is that? You hand me a whiskey to try and I’m going to try it, whether it uses a large percentage of malted barley or not. Heck, if you handed me a whiskey made entirely of malted corn, malted rye, and malted barley, I’m going to be at least trying it. Even though I don’t care for the taste that malting brings to the grain.
I guess there is a reason I like bourbon and rye best. Styles where the malted grains are usually used in single digit percentages.
So when the PR firm that handles Limavady reached out to me to see if I wanted to try their new product, I of course said yes. Who turns down free booze when the only downside is that it might not be good? It might also be amazing. Plus, I’ve liked quite a few Irish whiskeys, though the ones I’ve liked have been made from a mix of malted and unmalted barley.
So let’s learn a little bit about Limavady, the Single Barrel, Single Malt Irish Whiskey. First, here is what the brand has to say for itself:
Limavady Irish Whiskey- As one of Ireland’s oldest whiskeys dating back to 1750 and inspired by the Gaelic origins of Limavady - Leim an Mhadaidh, meaning “Leap of the Dog.” Darryl McNally, Whiskey Master and descendant of the Limavady Distillery’s 18th century operators, is at the helm of the brand, with his own underdog story to tell. Limavady is made of 100% Irish barley and is small batch, triple distilled in a copper pot still. The single malt whiskey is aged in ex-bourbon barrels and finished in PX sherry cask before bottling each cask individually, at 46% ABV. The sherry casks deliver warm, inviting dried fruit and spice notes, adding richness to a toasted vanilla base, for a drinking experience that’s well-rounded and genuinely delicious.
The rest of the details are as follows. This whiskey is made from 100% malted Irish barley. It was aged in ex-Bourbon barrels and then finished in Pedro Ximénez Sherry casks. The whiskey comes in at 92° proof and is made by Darryl McNally, a 20+ year veteran distiller in the Irish whiskey industry.
Ok, but now onto the important stuff. How does it taste? We know my biases, let’s see if this Irish Single Malt can overcome them.
Limavady Single Barrel, Single Malt Irish Whiskey
Purchase Info: This sample was sent to me by the producer for review purposes. The suggested retail price is $49.99 for a 700mL bottle.
Price per Drink (50 mL): $3.57
Details: Proof: 46% ABV. Mash bill: 100% Malted Irish Barley. Aged in ex-bourbon barrels and finished in PX sherry casks. Barrel#: 0136. Bottle#: 640 of 846.
Nose: Dried fruit, caramel, and lemon.
Mouth: Sweet with notes of dried fruit, mint, and hints of cinnamon candy.
Finish: Medium finish with notes of cinnamon and dried fruit.
Thoughts: I’m not going to lie, this one isn’t for me. I appreciate this whiskey more than I like it. It has a pleasant enough flavor, it just isn't my preferred flavor profile. Let’s put it this way, I finished the glass after the tasting, but i didn’t pour another. So I’m very neutral on this personally, but for people who like malt whiskey with a strong Sherry influence, this would probably be worth a look.
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