Friday, December 25, 2020

Yellow Spot Irish Whisky

 


I've always wanted to try Yellow Spot, but never had the opportunity until I picked up some when leaving Dublin after a wonderful trip. Triple distilled, aged 12 years in a combination of bourbon, sherry, and Malaga casks, single pot still, and bottled at 46% ABV. The vaunted Yellow Spot - how does it measure up? 

Nose: Honey, and an absolute orchard. Tropical fruit (pineapple, tamarind, lychee), red fruit (strawberry, cherry, red apple), other fruit (pear, at least - maybe peach). It's *delectable*. Caramel. Apricot? Sniffing a glass that is freshly empty: the grain whisky (unmalted barley) is detectable. Coffee. Nuts - although they come through more on the palate. It's sweet, too. So nice.  

Mouthfeel: Quite silky.

Palate: The sherry and Malaga casks really come forward here - sherry influence dominates, perhaps. Nutty (hazelnuts?? almonds), and all the fruit from the nose. Grain is definitely present here as well. Chocolate. This is a real flavor explosion. A little bit of spiciness. Frosting. Cafe latte? Caramel here, a little, following the nose. Or is that toffee? Hard to tell. 

Finish: Exceptionally smooth. All the flavors fade gradually away with no burn, no bitterness. Quite pleasant. 

Verdict: This is really a fantastic whisky to taste, filled with flavors from start to finish. Very easy to drink, full flavored, and highly, highly recommended. 

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