Connemara 12 Year Old Single Malt Irish Whiskey (700ml)

Since Cooley Distillery resurrected the traditional Irish custom of peating, their Connemara label has gone from strength to strength. This 12 year old is a perfect introduction to the style. Muted and mildly fruity aromas yield attractive grape / cantaloupe / pear notes followed by hints of dried grass, grains and vanilla. The flavours seem to float over the tongue, such is the initial sensation of lightness. Fresh and delicate, a subtle fruitiness repeats, building moderate concentration with a kippery note towards the finish. The peat never really asserts itself and the aftertaste is somewhat fleeting (we're told the smokiness can vary from batch to batch). Regardless, this seduces with its soft touch. American oak matured. 40% Alc./Vol.

Other reviews... The nose, with its beautiful orange, fruity lilt, puts the shy smoke in the shade. 85.5 points - Jim Murray's Whisky Bible 2022

...Connemara’s wild west coast landscape is a world away from this peated whiskey’s production at Cooley Distillery on Ireland’s east coast. Greater smoke than Original; lemon and fresh cream translate into lemon lozenges and sherbet, with tangy tropical fruits and well-balanced smoke lasting throughout the finish. 88 points - whiskyadvocate.com, reviewed by: Jonny McCormick 2017

A rugged, undeniably peaty whiskey, with lots of smoke offset by undertones of vanilla and faint butterscotch. 89 points - wineenthusiast.com

...The 12-year maturation has largely broken down the smoke, but also eliminated the off-flavors. I find it much more pleasing than the original NAS, even if the smoke is only subliminal. - whiskybase.com