Editor's Rating
Today’s honorary Irish Whiskey tells a brave tale of perseverance and a desire to preserve a rich bit of Irish history; and as fate would unravel, it also serendipitously brought us a historic Single Malt Irish Whiskey. The Knappogue Castle 16 Year Twin Wood Irish Whiskey dates back to the 15th century Knappogue Castle. The castle was purchased in the 60s by an architect couple who stumbled upon it and at “first sight” knew they needed to restore it to the glory and grandeur of its magnificent former self. In the process, the family began ageing casks of distilled whiskey in the castle and quickly become famous for vintage whiskies bottled in particular years. The original 1951 vintage is one of the rarest Irish Whiskies in the world. Knappogue Castle 16 Year Twin Wood is the first sherry-finished single malt, matured for sixteen years in two types of wood. The best of the 1994 vintage single malt is aged for fifteen years in bourbon barrels and then put into casks especially seasoned for Knappogue using Oloroso Sherry. Only 1,900 bottles of this rare whiskey were bottled, each individually numbered and signed, making this an Irish whiskey as individualistic and historic as the 1951 vintage it celebrates. Everyone likes a tale of tenacity, and many might argue Irish Whiskey is the very definition. Indefatigable perseverance and graceful complexity, together in a bottle.
*Drink Me Magazine Review 94/100
