Editor’s Note: This whiskey was provided to us as a review sample by the party behind it. This in no way, per our editorial policies, influenced the final outcome of this review. It should also be noted that by clicking the buy link in this review our site receives a small referral payment which helps to support, but not influence, our editorial and other costs.
Most of us remember a time we thought, “wait… is it ‘whiskey’ or ‘whisky’?” before turning to Wikipedia for salvation. Was it the first time you noticed the difference? Or like me, did you return to the question after forgetting what you previously read? Take solace in the face that people may have been having the same argument 1000 years ago. Uisce Beatha, or “the water of life”, was the first known name for whiskey on the Emerald Isle (Ireland). But wait! The Scottish Gaelic spelling is slightly different – Uisge Beatha. And so the great debate was started, even though both refer to the same thing: spirits distilled from fermented grain mash.
While modern whiskey finds its roots in Scotland and Ireland, over the centuries various cultures have added their own flare to the process. The Scots and Irish started the trend somewhere between 1000 A.D. and 1500 A.D., before it traveled to the Americas in the 1600s, and on to Japan around 1870. Today, I’m trying one of the originals, an Irish whiskey (yes with an ‘e’), from the innovative group at Method and Madness microdistillery. The distillery was founded in Midleton in 2015 and was used as a training hub by the masters for the apprentices.
As implied from its Shakespearean derivation “Though this be madness, yet there is method in’t” (Hamlet, Act 2, Scene 2), it is the experimental branch of the Irish Distillers collection and “has provided the copper canvas for experimentation to run free.” “There will be trial, and error, and brilliant bottled breakthroughs that start with ‘What if?’”
What I’m reviewing here is the Method and Madness Single Malt Irish Whiskey, distilled from 100% malted barley and matured in bourbon barrels and finished in Limousin Oak, which is a French oak from the forests of southwestern France, near the Cognac and Armagnac regions. The looser-grained wood of the barrel makes it better suited for aging whiskey than other French oaks.
We review Method and Madness Single Malt Irish Whiskey, distilled from 100% malted barley and matured in bourbon barrels and finished in Limousin Oak. (image via Method and Madness)
Tasting Notes: Method and Madness Single Malt Irish Whiskey
Vital Stats: No age statement. Matured in bourbon barrels and finished in French oak casks. 92 proof (46% ABV). $100.00/700ml.
Appearance: Champagne with oak light wood hues.
Nose: Lemongrass and oak immediately fill the nose with a tiny hint of stone fruit. Hazelnut and wheat grain nudge out other aromas but honeysuckle and rosemary linger around the edges.
Palate: Very soft, almost floral and creamy with honeysuckle and vanilla coming together nicely. Cedar notes flash briefly in the middle of the palate while the bourbon cask takes over with spicy cinnamon, nutmeg and caramel persisting through the finish.
Read the full article at Whiskey Review: Method And Madness Single Malt Irish Whiskey