Knappogue Castle 1995

Colour: Pale golden color, derived entirely from long maturation in bourbon oak casks.

Aroma: Very well balanced, clean fresh citrus and floral notes, complex mellow aromas of malt, perfumy oils, honey/vanilla with medium intensity. Touch of toasted wood also.

Taste: Really mellow and well rounded, very well balanced, medium intensity, sweetish complex taste incorporating the aromas above—malt, citrus, vanilla, perfumy oils, definite toasted wood notes.

Comments: The 1995 Knappogue has more bourbon barrel wood character than the 1994, which serves to increase the taste complexity and makes the whiskey that bit more mellow and rounded. Malt whiskey purists will sometimes argue that malts are best matured in old, many times used casks to minimize the wood influence on the malt, thus allowing the “true distillery character” to be clearly tasted. However, others will argue that the interaction of the pure malt spirit with the wood extractives available in a fairly fresh cask will serve to add to the overall taste experience—since it adds to the complexity of the taste—and this would be my own view. I think the Knappogue Castle 1995, with its greater wood influence is a nicely judged advance from the 1994 in terms of its overall taste experience.

"A very refreshing and mellow malt with excellent complexity of taste."

Barry Walsh, writer and consultant whiskey blender Whiskey Magazine Lifetime Achievement Award Winner 2005 Malt Advocate magazine’s Industry Leader of the Year 2003