Collaborations are becoming quite the thing in the world of whiskey at the moment. They are slightly more difficult to execute than collaborations in the beer world as the whiskey making process is measured in years rather than weeks like beer. Even still, whiskey producers are finding more and more ingenious ways to make joint creations that excite and amaze.
One such collaboration is something that I have been very excited for, for a while. Today, Walsh Whiskey launched a Coffee Stout Finished Single Malt with the team in the Western Whiskey pilgrimage site that is, Dick Mack’s Pub in Dingle.
This project is quite the interesting one. The barrel began its life in Ireland aging Irish whiskey, it was then brought to Dick Mack’s Brewhouse. It was here that the team there aged a coffee stout in it for a number of months, disgorged it, sold the stout in the bar and then rolled the barrel from the West Coast all the way to the Midlands, to Walsh Distillery. It was here where the barrel received its final fill of whiskey in the guise of ‘Irishman Single Malt’, where it aged for 9 months.
The finished product was a very limited edition run of just 240 bottles of Irishman Single Malt – Coffee Stout Edition. This edition is bottled at 48% ABV and will be able to be sampled in Dick Mask’s Pub or purchased exclusively from the Celtic Whiskey Shop.
The whiskey is said to have ‘notes of luscious peach and dried apricot, infused with vanilla sweetness and toasted almonds, compliment the chocolate and caramel maltiness coming through from the Coffee Stout. A deliciously silky-smooth body envelops the delicate cold-infused coffee influence, bringing a rich creaminess to the fore for a sumptuous dram.’
Announcing the release Walsh Whiskey, Managing Director, Bernard Walsh, said: “This exclusive bottling commenced its journey in January 2018 when an intrepid bunch from Dick Mack’s Brewhouse in Dingle made the journey to Carlow with their Coffee Stout Barrel. We filled it with The Irishman – Single Malt, which itself is matured in American Bourbon and Spanish Oloroso Sherry barrels, and we left it to mature for 9 months. We are delighted with the results of this exclusive collaboration.”
Finn MacDonnell of Dick Mack’s Brewhouse said: “This idea sprang from a conversation between Walsh Whiskey and Peter White who had previously discussed the merits of having a collaboration between Dick Mack’s Pub and Walsh Whiskey. We are privileged that Bernard Walsh was as enthusiastic as ourselves to work on this project and as a result we are delighted to be able to bring this whiskey to fruition.”
This is a project that Finn and Peter have been teasing to me for some time now. Thankfully, the night of Dublin Whiskey Live, I was able to try the finished product for myself and I was delighted intrigued by the creamy milk chocolate tones that follow through from the nose to the palate. Definitely a great winter warmer!
Tasting notes and addition information obtained from Walsh Whiskey Distillery’s press release.
The Irishman Single Malt – Coffee Stout Cask
- 100% Irish Single Malt Whiskey (The Irishman – Single Malt)
- Triple Distilled
- 48% ABV, Natural Non-Chill Filtered
- Matured in two different woods: American Oak Bourbon & Oloroso Sherry
- Finished for an additional 9 months in Coffee Stout Caskfrom Dick Mack’s Brewhouse, Dingle (Dark Stout finished with cold-infused coffee from the specialist coffee house, Bean, in Dingle)
- Extremely limited release; just 240 bottles produced
Tasting Notes Compiled by The Walsh Whiskey Distillery.
Nose: Ripe and fruity with luscious peach and dried apricot. Roast chocolate and caramel malts.
Palate: Vanilla sweetness, toasted almonds, bittersweet, dark chocolate and layers of coffee
Finish: A rich, full-flavoured creaminess. Silky smooth
Sláinte.