Dunville's 12 Year Old PX Cask Finish

The Echlinville Distillery is located in Northern Ireland about three quarters of an hour's drive from Belfast. They call themselves 'Ireland's first farm distillery' and make poitin, gin and whiskey from barley that they grow themselves. The Dunville brand had been around for much longer, but was lost. In 2012 they decided at Echlinville to revive the whiskey. In August 2013, the first barrel in the new Echlinville distillery was put to sleep. They start with whiskey that they have purchased elsewhere and then gave a finish in their own warehouses. This 12-year-old got a finish on PX sherry casks.

On the nose, this malt is very rich and aromatic. Some yellow and dark fruit, fresh and juicy as well as dried and candied. The whole is immersed in a generous dash of acacia honey with another layer of salted caramel on top. A few spicy notes of the oak certainly do their bit, without dominating. Some licorice and ginger also join in. All in all a very pleasant and particularly Irish nose. That's already a very strong start.

The body is fine. Sticks well. Although still very fruity, the oak now gets a tad louder, which makes it spicy and warm. Both baked apples and raisins pop up from the second sip, while vanilla makes it even sweeter if possible. Orange peels and walnuts appear and give it a soft bitterness, as well as a slight drying effect.

The finish is long and warm, starts sweet and then evolves to slightly bitter and dry. Something of chicory on the deathbed.

Well, this is very tasty. My only criticism is the price. Just over 100 EUR for a 12-year-old is relatively expensive. But you do get something nice.