Taster

Nose: Astonishingly live aromas. Fresh hay. Sappy wood. Oil. Peppermint.

Palate: Firm, developing spicy, minty, characters. Dry. Assertive.

Finish: Long. Leafy. Rooty. Medicinal. Warming.

Comment: The most robust of the Irish whiskeys, ahead even of Redbreast.

Score: 9.3

Taster

Nose: Moth watering and fresh on one level; honey and menthol on another. Stunningly attractive.

Palate: Crisp, mouth watering with a fabulous honey burst. Alarmingly sensuous.

Finish: Coffee intertwines with the pot still. The thumbprint thread of honey remains.

Comment: More honeyed than of old. Soft yet incredibly complex throughout. Unquestionably one of the world's great whiskies.

Score: 9.3