Kilbeggan Distillery Reserve

Nose, Taste, Finish and Balance are graded out of 2.5 each:

Nose: Asparagus in melted parmesan butter, with a little red liquorice on the side. And that's just to kick things off. This is a tapas restaurant and we should tuck in to the various other dishes on the table. Wood polish with lavender, mint tea and honey ice-cream, cherries with flower-petals, pick-n-mix banana sweets with metal, and finally lychees and coconut on gingerbread. Quite an eccentric and eclectic buffet. 2.5

Taste: After such an abundant feast on the nose, it's to be expected there is a little more modesty on the palate, however the offerings are nonetheless delicious, and no less eccentric. We start off with slightly standard fare, in the shape of vanilla creme brulee and molten brown sugar, however we swiftly move on to kiwis, cornbread and barbecue chicken. A very surprising mix. 2.0

Finish: Meringue with raspberries, and honey-glazed carrots catch us off guard, having just gotten our heads round the barbecue chicken on the palate. As we linger in our disorientation, we are finally left to ponder on white chocolate and caramel, sitting on a bed of cinnamon and faint spice. 2.0

Balance: If this is an indication of what we are to expect of the newly relaunched Kilbeggan distillery, then we should all be licking our lips in anticipation. For a blend, and at only 40% ABV, this an exceptionally complex and eccentric whiskey. The variety of flavours is endless, and the boldness of the delivery entirely seductive. I look forward to the various extensions to the brand that are to come, particularly the 18 year old (at hopefully a higher ABV), but even if they were to disappoint, this remains a memorable blend. 2.5

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