Limavady Single Barrel, Single Malt Irish Whiskey

I’d like to thank the producers and their PR team for sending this review sample along with no strings attached.

IMAGE: A bottle of Limavady Single Malt Irish Whiskey

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.

This gets a neutral face from me. I don't like or dislike this one.

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.


Did you enjoy this post? If so, maybe you’d like to buy me a cup of coffee in return. Go to ko-fi.com/bourbonguy to support. And thank you, BourbonGuy.com is solely supported via your generosity.

Of course, if you want to support BourbonGuy.com and get a little something back in return, you can always head over to BourbonGuyGifts.com and purchase some merch. I’ve made tasting journals, stickers, pins, and more.

Wyoming Whiskey Outryder (2021 Edition)

I’d like to thank Verde Brand Communications for providing this review sample with no strings attached.

Just in time for the holiday gift rush to begin in earnest, I’ve got one last sample to feature. This time, the 2021 release of Outryder from Wyoming Whiskey. I covered the origin story of Outryder when I received a sample of the 2020 release so let’s jump right into talking about the liquid itself instead of the story behind it.

Quoting the press release:

Following the popularity of its first two iterations of Outryder, in 2016 and 2017, Wyoming Whiskey came to terms with the finite amount of 2011 whiskey stock used to create the initial batches. In order to carry on the legacy of this exceptional whiskey, Wyoming Whiskey has begun to marry its 10-year-old “almost rye” whiskies (48% rye, 40% corn, 12% malt) and bourbon (68% corn, 20% rye, 12% malt), with two whiskies distilled in early 2017, which are considered a “true rye” (51% rye, 37% corn, 12% malt) and bourbon (68% corn, 20% rye, 12% malt).

I mean, that sounds like a pretty good blend. So how does it taste?

Wyoming Whiskey Outryder, 2021 edition

Purchase Info: This sample was provided by the producer for review purposes. The suggested retail price is $74.99 and was available nationwide beginning in November 2021.

Price per Drink (50 mL): $5.00

Details: 50% ABV. A blend of three Wyoming Whiskeys the original “almost rye,” a rye, and a bourbon.

Nose: Caramel, cinnamon, black tea, mint, and a muted orange note.

Mouth: Brown sugar, cinnamon, allspice, mint, and black tea.

Finish: Warm and of medium length. Notes of cinnamon and mint.

Thoughts: This is a tasty one. I like it. It has a lot of "brown" baking notes. Brown sugar, baking spices, etc. The herbal mint and black tea notes play nicely with the baking notes. I'm a fan. Price is a little high for my tastes, but this is a limited release from a small producer, so you are going to have that.


Did you enjoy this post? If so, maybe you’d like to buy me a cup of coffee in return. Go to ko-fi.com/bourbonguy to support. And thank you, BourbonGuy.com is solely supported via your generosity.

Of course, if you want to support BourbonGuy.com and get a little something back in return, you can always head over to BourbonGuyGifts.com and purchase some merch. I’ve made tasting journals, stickers, pins, posters, and more.