Knappogue Castle 12yo (43.0%): Knappogue Castle is a brand from Castle Brands' portfolio releasing sourced Irish whiskeys under their own label. This one in the bottle is a twelve years old single malt Irish whiskey. Although it is not openly advertised it is also not a secret that the whiskey in the bottle is distilled in Cooley Distillery.
Color: Yellow gold, oaked white wine.
Nose: Diner style banana cream pie, lemon cookies and light and cheap caramel sauce straight from squeeze bottle. Apple strudel and overripe baby bananas. Vanilla ice cream and canned peach. A little too sweet on the nose...
Palate: Fruit salad... Baby bananas, sweet clementines and Golden Delicious apples all covered under a thick layer of sweet whipped cream. It is a little spirity in spite of its age as well. Coconut pie, vanilla extract and canned mango slices... It is a little jam packed and concentrated. Peach cobbler, cookie dough, propane canisters and malted grain...
Finish: A little burst of spice helps at the end to dial down the fruitiness with nutmeg and cinnamon dustings. Medium long...
Overall: Although I always enjoy the massive fruit notes in Cooley single malts sometimes they can be a tad overpowering everything else around them... It is not a bad whisky by any stretch but it is very hard to find the will to fill a second glass after your first pour as well. It sits heavy... It is like that second slice of pie you regret having after dinner only after it's too late. It's sweet, viscous and syrupy... I truly missed the green, malty and vegetal notes I love in Irish whiskey to counter balance the sticky canned fruit notes. Again at the end it is not a bad whiskey and is a damn good bargain considering the price tag attached to its neck.
Price: $46
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