4 June 2021
By Mary Bermingham
mary@TheCork.ie
Just as 18 is a monumental age in a young person’s life, opening the doors to adulthood, it also holds a very special significance in the whiskey world, indicating a level of maturity and commitment to patience and craft. For whiskey connoisseurs, in order to curate the perfect collection, they are constantly on the hunt for that special spirit which is rare and unique – a one of a kind. The newest addition to the Blacks Brewery & Distillery portfolio, 18 Year Old Single Malt with Irish Rum Cask Finish, answers this brief.
Over the years Blacks have become accustomed to setting the industry trends and securing their place in history books with a number of firsts. Located on the Wild Atlantic Way in Kinsale, Blacks are Ireland’s first co-located brewery & distillery. In 2018, husband and wife duo of Sam and Maudeline Black launched Ireland’s first-ever spiced rum, Blacks Spiced Rum, made entirely from start to finish in Ireland. Continuing to expand their offering Blacks Golden Rum hit the shelves and in 2020 took home the coveted gold award at the World Rum Awards.
With one simple mission, to escape the mundane of the mass market by producing beers with passion, personality and lots of hops, while also pushing the boundaries of flavour when crafting their range of award-winning spirits, Blacks are once again bringing us a world’s first.
Securing a limited amount of aged Single Malt that would complement the characteristics of their rum casks, which previously held their award-winning liquid gold, Blacks began the process of maturing a single malt whiskey with a unique twist. After continuous sampling and endless hours of profiling, in April 2021 this treasure had reached peak maturation.
It is a whiskey lover’s dream come true! A world’s first for Irish Whiskey – an Irish Rum Cask finish. There are only 563 bottles of this limited edition 18 Year Old Single Malt, each individually numbered. For many whiskey collectors their collection remains unopened for many years, and so with every purchase Blacks are providing these whiskey fanatics with a free 20ml spirit sample so that they can also sip and enjoy this new Irish spirit.
Speaking in relation to this exciting new launch, founder Sam Black commented, “The idea stemmed from our desire to push the boundaries for Irish spirits and continue to bring about new and innovative releases. We are very familiar with this rum cask style here at Blacks, but it is something completely new to even the most renowned whiskey connoisseurs.”
Presented in a bespoke treasure chest style box, this cask strength beauty comes in at 56% ABV and will transport you to a world never explored before by a whiskey drinker.
Tasting Notes:
Aroma: Opens with confected aromas of vanilla maple syrup, sticky toffee pudding and candied fruit. Slight hints of coffee beans are set aside by the oak wood undertones before being reminded of banoffee pie and tropical desserts.
Palate: A velvet soft, toffee rich mouthfeel gives way to notes of caramel coated nuts and butter baked biscuits. Sweet malt and rum spices then demand your attention, as exotic fruit notes push to the forefront of your palate.
Finish: An amazingly complex finish with lingering nutmeg spices and dried sultanas fading out before being left with the oak wood undertones that characterised this whiskey for the first 18 years of its life.
Retailing at €500 per bottle, this matured one-of-a-kind whiskey is available exclusively through the Blacks online store, www. blacksbrewery.com/shop/