Kinahans Single Malt Irish Whiskey (700ml)

One of the first brands to be trademarked, Kinahans acquired international recognition back in the 1800s, partly for their unconventional approach to maturation. Founded in 1779 and later dubbed the Pioneer of Irish Whiskey, it wasn’t long after that the Lord of Ireland ordered several casks, each marked with an “L.L.” to identify the customer. That branding is maintained in the current presentation. The Kinahans ceased production in the early 20th century when Irish whiskey sales plummeted, but in 2014 the brand re-launched on Trinity Street taking advantage of a massive global resurgence in the category. Debuting around 2015, this release is part of their award-winning Heritage Collection, made from 100% malted barley and produced in small batches of up to thirty hand-selected first-fill x-bourbon casks. The Kinahan’s project is still young so it’s unlikely they’ve included their own whiskeys here. The source remains undisclosed, but whoever made the selections obviously knows how to knock up a decent malt. Drinkers have been impressed, one describing it as “…pretty close to my favourite classic Redbreast but with more chocolate and tobacco.” Other whiskeys from Kinahans have been rated highly by the likes of Jim Murray and Whisky Advocate. 46% Alc./Vol. Non-chill filtered.

Notes from the producers… The nose has zesty blood orange, toasted caramel, hazelnut, cigar, tobacco, cocoa, while the finish has bitter chocolate, coffee, green pear, ripe peach.