We’ve
seen dozens of whisky brands reinvent
themselves recently with new packaging
and marketing campaigns in their quest
for greater market share and new
consumers. We at the Whisky Guild are
all in favor of this trend provided the
quality of what’s in the bottle is
paramount to everything else. After all,
what’s in the bottle and not 'the
bottle' is what matters most. Right?
That was our mission with this month’s
Whisk(e)y Journey as we sampled the
Clontarf range which has recently gone
through just such a reinvention. The new
tagline ‘The New Irish’ is the theme
that adds a nice hip feel to a once
nondescript brand. The new labels are
much cleaner and highlight Clontarf’s
history and triple distillation process
while still looking towards the future.
The clutter is gone while the taste
remains the same, just good approachable
Irish whiskey that’s triple distilled
for that classic smooth Irish taste. The
bottle sports the year ‘1014’ which
isn’t the year the whiskey was
established but commemorates the battle
of Clontarf, which was a victory over
Viking invaders in that year. Clontarf
is also still reasonably priced and is
an exceptional value considering how
rich and complex both drams in the range
are. Overall we preferred the Single
Malt over the Blend but not by much.
Each offer nice depth of flavor and
complexity that you rarely find in
whiskies for under $25. So here’s to
snazzy new marketing campaigns with an
eye to the future while still preserving
what’s most important -- taste.
Clontarf Classic Blend 40%: A
classic Irish nose awaits you in
this very Irish of Irish drams.
Youthful with subtle fruit notes of
melon, pears, and peaches give way
to musty hay and grass clippings.
Oak and caramel top off a very nice
nose that would do any Irishman
proud. A surprisingly syrupy body
lingers on the tongue with just a
touch of peach sweetness. Almost too
smooth on the palate. A nice warming
finish with hints of oak, peach
candy, and bitter chocolate round
off this respectable and easy-going
Irish dram.
Clontarf Single Malt 40%: My
favorite of the pair, it had a
wonderfully fresh nose and a finish
dominated by peaches. The nose is
very light beginning with oak and a
touch of malt, followed by pears,
apples, peaches, and roasted nuts.
Very fresh and clean; a summer’s
breeze. Like the Classic Blend, the
body had a medium smooth, almost
syrupy mouth feel. The finish was a
peach explosion of ripe peaches and
a touch of peach flavored brandy.
Medium length with a little bite and
the peaches seem to linger for an
eternity. A very good, everyday type
of Irish whiskey.
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Questions or comments are welcome, I can be reached at
glen@whiskyguild.com
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