Powers John’s Lane 12 Year Old Irish Whiskey Review

BOTTLE DETAILS

• DISTILLER: Midleton Distillery in County Cork
• MASH BILL: A blend of unmalted and malted barley.
• AGE: 12 Years
• YEAR: 2019
• PROOF: 92 (46% ABV)
• MSRP: $60-$70
• BUY ONLINE: Wine-Searcher.com

LEE'S NOTES

NOSE: Honey | Pepper | Fruit | Chocolate Pudding | Solder Smoke

TASTE: Cinnamon | Apples | Honey | Solder Smoke

FINISH: A creamy finish with pepper coming in late on the tongue. A slow warming feeling.

SHARE WITH: Those who enjoy Irish whiskey or bourbon lovers looking to branch out and taste an excellent Irish whiskey.

WORTH THE PRICE: Yes, for the bottle.

BOTTLE, BAR OR BUST: Bottle. This is a great Irish whiskey.

OVERALL: I’ve been a fan of Irish whiskey for about 20 years but have never drank a lot of it. During that time however, I have thoroughly enjoyed having a pour from time to time. My favorites include Jameson Rarest Vintage, Redbreast Cask Strength and Power’s John Lane 12 Year.

Our daughter and son in law brought me back a bottle of Powers John's Lane after a trip to Ireland over 5 years ago. I will admit I nursed that bottle and finally finished it earlier in the year. Recently I had a chance to have a couple pours of this again. Every time I have a pour I always wonder why I don’t drink this more often.

Powers John's Lane 12 year is a Single Pot Still whiskey. Single Pot Still is a blend of malted and unmalted barleys distilled in a pot still. It is unique to Ireland and at one time was the biggest selling whiskey in the world. It was originally called Pure Pot Still but the name was changed to Single because of US food and drug regulations related to using the word pure. When I started writing this review, I wanted to know more about Single Pot Still Whiskey so I ordered the book, A Glass Apart. This book is full of info on Irish Single Pot Still Whiskies and very informative. Note however, if you are interested, that the print is fairly small and the font is light.

The majority of Powers John's Lane 12 Year is aged in used bourbon casks, with a small contribution of distillate aged in used Oloroso sherry casks. It is somewhat similar to Redbreast 12 Year Irish Whiskey but it uses much less of the Sherry Cask component, is a higher proof and is non-chill filtered. To me this gives Powers John's Lane a richer taste and a more satisfying pour.

You may have noticed in my notes, solder smoke, and you are probably thinking “what?”  When I was 15, I bought a Heathkit Short Wave Radio. Heathkit sold electronic products such as radios, stereos, etc., that had to be assembled. I remember my Dad helping me put this together. Since soldering was required, solder smoke was present both in the air and in the mouth and it has a tendency to linger. Every once in a while with Powers John's Lane I get that same note on the nose and the palate. It makes me think of my Dad and our time spent putting that radio together. Cheers Dad!

BRAND NOTES

John's Lane Release is a celebration of the original style of Powers Whiskey and the quintessential Irish Single Pot Still distillate. Matured for 12 years, the result is an outstanding lingering robust taste that provides a perfect tribute to the spiritual home of one of Ireland’s most loved whiskeys.

TASTING NOTES

Nose
An abundance of earthy aromas, leather, tobacco with layers of charred wood, dark chocolate and treacle toffee.

Taste
Full bodied spice front followed by vanilla, honey and dried apricot.

Finish
Lingering honey sweetness on toasted oak.