Whisky Review: McConnell’s Irish Whisky Oloroso Sherry Cask represents a $42.99 Appearance: Amber with slow thin legs proposition in the evolving Irish whiskey landscape.
Nose
Five years old, finished in Oloroso sherry casks, MSRP $42.99 Appearance: Amber with slow thin legs. A sherry bomb with whiffs of a fresh cinnamon roll. Some baking spices and cigar tobacco round out the nose.
Palate
The whisky overall is very light and watery. It tastes of cigar tobacco, red apples, and some dark sugar. Towards the finish you get notes of complex sherry and old leather. It disappears over the tongue and doesnt really offer much in the way of staying power. The reason you re-use bourbon barrels is the sweetness of bourbon that gets locked into the wood complements the flavor of Irish whiskey and Scotch. However, because of climate differences, you need to age the whiskey in reused barrels a lot longer. At five years there just hasn’t been enough time to really mature this whisky fully. It’s hard to dissect much of the flavor as this is simply too light.rnrnThis is a fine whisky to sip after a hot day with a light cigar, as it’s an easy whisky to drink. There just is not much going on.
Finish
Editor’s Note: This whiskey was either bought as a sample by Whiskeyful or provided to us as a review sample by the party behind it. Per our editorial policies, this in no way influenced the outcome of this review.
Verdict
Whisky Review: McConnell’s Irish Whisky Oloroso Sherry Cask is a modest offering that, at $42.99 Appearance: Amber with slow thin legs, serves its purpose without distinction. Those seeking depth or complexity may wish to look elsewhere in this price bracket.
