Writers' Tears Copper Pot Irish Whiskey - Single Pot Still & Single Malt Blend - Triple Distilled, Non-Peated - Aged in Flame Charred Bourbon Oak Barrels - 70cl / 700ml, 40% ABV

Product Information

Writers' Tears is an unusual blend for Ireland in that no grain whiskey is used. Instead, this is a blend of triple distilled Single Malt and triple distilled Single Pot Still whiskey, both of which have been sourced from Bushmills and Midleton respectively. The blend is roughly 60% malt and 40% pot still and the grain is unpeated.

Finally, we have the Writers’ Tears Copper Pot Japanese Cask finish. Aged in ex-bourbon barrels before a 9-month finish in one of two Japanese Mizunara Oak casks. This expression was bottled at a healthy 55% abv and was launched in time for Ireland's much hyped trip to the Rugby World Cup finals. It is only available in either the Dublin or Cork outlets of The Loop Duty Free and is priced at €100 (duty paid) or €84 (duty free). Writers' Tears Copper Pot - review As one of Walsh Whiskey’s core expressions, Writers’ Tears Double Oak is available to all markets, and will be first available in the USA, Russia, UK, Germany, France, the Netherlands & Ireland (including Dublin Airport). Writers’ Tears is an Irish whiskey that comes from a blend of single pot still and single malt Irish whiskies – making it relatively unique in the burgeoning Irish whisky scene. Many would consider pot still the definitive Irish style, but with the addition of single malt, and no grain whiskies present, Writers’ Tears is really trying to stand out. The mashbill consists of 60% malted and 40% un-malted barley – with the un-malted component historically being a hallmark of Irish whiskies. This whiskey remains non-age stated and is sourced from an unnamed Irish distillery and then blended and bottled by Walsh Whiskey Distillery in Dublin.Many of these great writers, on occasion, would take refuge in their local public house, where they could draw inspiration from their observations of daily life while enjoying the comfort of their favourite dram of whiskey.

Walsh Whiskey has developed a range of Writers’ Tears whiskey, including four core offerings, three limited special cask finishes, and a cask strength release. The Writer’s Tears Cask Strength expression, the subject of today’s review, is a blend of Single Pot Still and Single Malt Whiskey, all triple distilled, non-chill filtered, and aged in American Oak Bourbon barrels.A mixed bag with definite peaks and troughs from the folk at Walsh Whiskey but the stars of the show being the core range expressions rather than the Travel Retail exclusive. Our Service is an online platform which provides Members with information (e.g. bottle facts, market-indices, market values and prices) on (mostly) whisky and allows Members to add information to the platform. We do not sell, nor does the Service provide any option to buy, any alcoholic products. As whiskey creators, we work with a range of carefully selected partners to explore how different grains, whiskey styles and woods interact and contribute to taste over time – plenty of it! We seek-out the best styles and distillates in Ireland, as well as casks from the four corners of the world. When cask-hunting, we look for, not just those of the highest wood quality and barrel structure but, most importantly, the ones that have been seasoned with exceptional liquid. Our journey has led us to: Whiskybase B.V. is the Dutch private limited liability company, having its statutory seat in Rotterdam, The Netherlands and its office at Zwaanshals 530, 3035 KS Rotterdam, The Netherlands. Whiskybase B.V. is registered with the Dutch Chamber of Commerce under no. 52072819. Unless mandatory applicable law provides otherwise, your use of and membership to the Service are exclusively governed by Dutch law. We shall first try to settle any dispute over a dram of whisky. Disputes that cannot be settled over multiple drams of whisky shall be solely submitted to the court of Amsterdam, The Netherlands unless mandatory applicable law provides otherwise.

Finally, the Mizunara Cask. Sadly much like Ireland's Rugby World Cup tournament this whiskey just didn't really work for me. I really struggled to get the chocolate, coconut and fruitiness that you expect to get from Mizunara Oak. Instead this just became a spice driven cask fest that dominated the spirit and detracted from the whole experience. This has been flirting with a 3, so possibly I'm mellowing in my old age. Yet again my dalliances with Travel Retail only result in disappointment. The finish is fairly short but the chocolate note remains along with some cinnamon. Score: 6/10 Writers' Tears Cask Strength 2019 - review Writer’s Tears Irish Whiskey is remarkable. I was not expecting to like a 40%, young, chill-filtered whiskey as much as I am. The blend of Irish Single Malt and Irish Single Pot Still creates a richness and depth that blows past my expectations and has me sitting here smiling like an idiot while typing this up and sipping on a glass.

Conclusions

In the mouth: Quite a chocolate note on arrival then stone fruit. Plum, peach and then the white grape again. Some citrus zest with mild baking spice, oak tannins and a touch of cask char.