Glendalough Mizunara-Finished Irish Whiskey Review
Mizunara-Finished Irish Whiskey is vivid, but delicate with seamless depth. It is vibrant, fruity, and floral on the nose, enjoying a luxuriously smooth mouthfeel with notes of dark chocolate orange, sandalwood, and cinnamon synonymous with Mizunara whiskeys.
BOTTLE DETAILS
- DISTILLER: Glendalough Distillery
- MASH BILL: 100% malted barley
- AGE: 7 years
- YEAR: 2022
- PROOF: 92 Proof (46% ABV)
- MSRP: $99
PAUL'S REVIEW
NOSE: Floral | Bit-O-Honey
TASTE: Thick and Buttery | Fresh Mint | Black Tea
FINISH: Candied Cinnamon | Fudgesicle | Birch Beer | Lingering like Cough Syrup (but in a really good way)
SHARE WITH: Anyone who you just shared a meal with—this is essentially a lovely, complex dessert.
WORTH THE PRICE: Honestly, my first reaction was sticker-shock. After tasting it, I take it all back and think this is quite fair.
BOTTLE, BAR OR BUST Given the price, I’d suggest bar first, but if this is within your comfort zone, you’ll probably end up with a bottle.
OVERALL: I had never had anything from Glendalough prior to being sent this review sample. After tasting this, and because it did not disappoint, I will certainly seek out their other offerings to get a better sense of their product line.
With that said, though, this was one of the more complicated, enjoyable drams I’ve tasted this year. Without tasting anything else from Glendalough, I don’t know how much to attribute to the Mizunara finishing versus how much to attribute to their own distillate and the American Oak aging where it spent most of its time.
Despite my initial surprise over a 7-year single-malt at this price point, I have no trouble endorsing the contents of the bottle. If you’re comfortable with the price of entry, get it. If not, find it at a bar, as I would highly suggest enjoying it with (or as) dessert. The flavors are all a bit on the sweet end, but in a way I really enjoyed. I was sad to see the sample bottle empty and I will be searching out more from Glendalough in the future!
BRAND TASTING NOTES
The whiskey is vivid, but delicate with seamless depth. It is vibrant, fruity, and floral on the nose, enjoying a luxuriously smooth mouthfeel with notes of dark chocolate orange, sandalwood, and cinnamon synonymous with Mizunara whiskeys. Glendalough’s Mizunara 7-year single malt benefits from an exceptionally long finish of toasted oak and oriental spices, with the dark chocolate lingering even longer.