Taster

Nose: Very aromatic. Waxy orange skins. Linseed oil. Leather.

Palate: Big, oily, creamy, sociable.

Finish: Delicate. Peppery. More-ish.

Comment: A superb Irish for everyday drinking. I love this, though not quite as much as the 1780.

Score: 8

Taster

Nose: A meeting of Oloroso and crisp pot still character. Malty, too. Lovely fruitcake richness, though not as sweet as in recent years.

Palate: Very firm, oily, intense and mouthfilling.

Finish: A hint of spice counters an increasing oaky bitterness though the barley and sherry lasts to the very end.

Comment: Five or six years back I panned this whiskey: it was lacking in pot still character. Not any more. Now genuinely impressive, charming and characterful.

Score: 8