Kilbeggan Single Grain Irish whiskey review
let’s begin
Kilbeggan is an Irish distillery found pretty much in the centre of Ireland, in County Westmeath.
It is one of the most historical distilleries in Ireland, with a past dating back to 1757.
Kilbeggan really took off in 1794, when it was owned by the Codd family. There was a huge interest in Irish Whiskey during this time, and Kilbeggan did particularly well.
However, the good times could not last forever, and although it did not close its doors completely, sales slowed and it was passed in to the hands of John Locke.
Locke had a history in the distilling business and kept Kilbeggan going for decades to come. It’s demise came in 1957, when it finally closed.
But all was not lost, and like a phoenix from the ashes, Kilbeggan rose again, with the help of yet another Irish Whiskey dynasty, the Teeling family.
The Teelings have a wonderful passion for Irish Whiskey and have sought to revive many of the old distilleries, including the Cooley Distillery near Dundalk. This was the first new distillery in Ireland for over a century.
Since its revival, Kilbeggan has been flourishing and now boasts four successful brand names under its belt, including Kilbeggan, The Tyrconnell, Connemara and 2Gingers.
They recently released a Grain Whisky that replaced their Greenore brand, and is a brilliantly light and mellow liquid.
Bottle cost: £29.96
It has been matured in ex-Bourbon barrels and has been crafted using corn grains.
This Single Grain certainly packs a lot of flavour and is brimming with character.
The nose opens with lots of rich and elegant sweet notes. Toffee, caramel and a little bit of sponge cake, are all present. They bring a little moisture to the dram and give a fantastically complex beginning.
The sweetness ties in nicely with a tangy citrus fruit flavour that is heavy on the oranges. There are softer fruits coming in too, such as mango and apricot. These are juicy and ripe.
The palate is just as rich and complex. It brings in more oak and wood flavours, with a toasty warmth to them. Sweet nuts and more caramel tones come out here too.
These tease out more vanilla notes, giving depth to the sweet flavours from the nose.
There is also a lovely coconut flavour that goes perfectly with the vanilla.
The fruits are also present, and lend a thick, smooth mouth feel to the overall flavour of the dram.
The finish is strong, with lots of oak and vanilla and a little hint of citrus.
What are your thoughts? Leave a comment below and let’s have a chat!
Greg
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2 thoughts on “Kilbeggan Single Grain Irish whiskey review”
Hi Greg, tonight’s the night for my Irish/Scottish Tasting and guess what? Tyrconnell and Connemara feature. Your info is very topical. Got my fingers crossed.
See you around.
John ferris
Great stuff John! Hope it all went well?