John Doe Irish Whiskey 2004/2016 (Malts of Scotland)
I do wonder where all these anonymous Irish whiskey’s come from. Today it’s a John Doe Irish Whiskey 2004 from an ex-bourbon barrel, bottled by Malts of Scotland. There’s a slight peatiness to this one, so it might very well be a Cooley.
But what the hell. Does it really matter where the whiskey comes from? It’s nice to know, but not need to know information. What matters is: do I find this good whiskey? Only one way to find out. Shall we?
John Doe Irish Whiskey 2004/2016 (55,3%, Malts of Scotland, C# MoS 16033)
Nose: Sweet fruits with a grassy edge, some floral notes. Melon and a touch of vanilla, but also straw, moss and conifer. Somewhat herbal too, with a hint of plastic.
Taste: Oily mouthfeel. The arrival is quite aggressive (even with a splash of water) with very subtle peat. The palate is more grassier and herbal (bay leaf, parsley) than the nose is.
Finish: A tad fruitier and sweeter. Medium in length.
Rating: 84
Certainly not a dime a dozen, which’ll keep it interesting for more than just one dram. A bit more complexity or balance would’ve pushed the score a couple of points.
Thijs is a spirits writer and accredited liquorist from The Netherlands. He runs the blog Words of Whisky and contributes to a number of Dutch and international publications.
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