Powers John’s Lane Release 12 Year Old Single Pot Still Review

Irish whiskey has seen somewhat of a comeback here in the UK and indeed, overseas as well as of late.

Perfect for people who find Scotch just that little bit too harsh on the throat, and bourbon a tad too sweet, Irish whiskey is as smooth as the day is long. When talking about Irish whiskey, you simply cannot overlook Powers.

The Powers brand of Irish whiskey holds a special place in Irish whiskey drinker’s hearts as their flagship Powers Gold Label was the very first Irish whiskey that was bottled.

One of their most popular tipples is the John’s Lane Release 12 Year Old Single Pot Still. This whiskey is a firm favourite of whiskey drinkers all over the globe, so we thought it would only be fitting to look at this amazing drink in more detail today.

Here are our thoughts on this fantastic Irish whiskey.

The John’s Lane Story

The Powers story goes back more than two centuries. A humble innkeeper from Dublin by the name of James Powers decided to set up a modest distillery in his pub.

This distillery had a max output of around 6,000 gallons per year.

He initially called the distillery James Power and Son, before having a rebrand in 1822, where the business was known as John Power and Son. The distillery, now thriving and in need of a larger premises, relocated to a new premises just off of a side street named Thomas Street. The ew distillery was found on John’s Lane.

This new distillery had three pot stills, which is all well and good, but only one of these was in use. A 500-gallon single pot still.

There’s a whole lot more story behind this, but that is a very, very brief recap of the message behind this stunning Irish whiskey.

Powers John’s Lane 12 Year Old Single Pot Still

From the name alone, this whiskey evokes feelings of nostalgia while paying tribute to the distillery that helped really get the Powers brand rolling.

Matured in a combination of Oloroso sherry and bourbon whiskey casks, it has a pale amber honey colour and comes in at a throat warming 46% ABV. Make no mistake about it, this is a special whiskey and it has the awards to prove it. Amongst them is the 2012 World’s Best Pot Still Whiskey World Whiskey’s Award, as well as picking up gold for the best Irish Single Pot Still in 2020.

On the nose you will immediately pick up strong notes of candied orange peel, dark chocolate, leather, and lightly toasted oak.

On the palate, your first sip should awaken your senses and reward you with creamy vanilla, cherries and dates, chocolate, and cherries.

Building from the nose you should also be able to taste winter spices and a touch of honey.

The finish is long and drawn out, offering an oily mouthfeel, sweetness, more coffee, and malted biscuits to balance everything together perfectly.

If you want to learn more about Powers Irish whiskey, pick yourself up a wee dram or two of your favourite Irish whiskey, or even try something new, make sure you check out https://greatdrams.com/ and the huge selection of whiskies available.

Here you’ll find everything yoy need to know about whiskey/whisky, and can purchase some of the most stunning and unique whiskies on the market today.

Tags: 12 Year Old Single Pot StillJohn’s LanePowers

Greg

My name is Greg, and I’m a brand strategy consultant, writer, speaker, host and judge specialising in premium spirits. My mission is to experience, share and inspire with everything great about whisky, whiskey, gin, beer and fine dining through my writing, my brand building and my whisky tastings.