West Cork Blended Irish Stout Cask Finish

Volume: 0.7 litres | Alcohol content: 40% | Chill filtration: No | Colouring: No

Special Features:

For West Cork Stout Cask Finish, bourbon-cask maturation is followed by a finishing period in beer casks from Black’s of Kinsale. The blend consists of 75% grain whiskey and 25% malt whiskey and initially matures in First Fill Bourbon Barrels. It then moves into casks that previously held stout. The bottling thus brings together two Irish products: whiskey and the dark beer from Kinsale.

The bourbon casks contribute creamy vanilla and fruity notes, while the stout finish adds chocolate, coffee, malt and hops to the character. This triple-distilled whiskey is bottled at 40% in 0.7-litre bottles, without chill filtration or added colouring.

Tasting Notes:

• Nose: The nose reveals chocolate, raisins and freshly cracked nuts. Sweet vanilla and fresh fruit combine with a possible hint of grapefruit. Chocolate, malt and pronounced oak add to the aroma.
• Palate: Dark chocolate, coffee and creamy vanilla come together on the palate. Pears join floral notes and a little hops. The whiskey feels full-bodied.
• Finish: Chocolate and roasted coffee linger in the finish, accompanied by ginger spice.

Distillery/Bottler:

West Cork Distillers was founded in 2003 by childhood friends John O’Connell, Ger McCarthy and Denis McCarthy. The first distillations took place using two small stills in a room behind Denis’ house in Union Hall. As the business grew, the founders decided to move to Skibbereen in 2014. They built some of the equipment they needed themselves.

Today, the distillery operates on Marsh Road in Skibbereen, using pot stills and continuous column stills. Distillation, maturation and bottling all take place on site, and the warehouses are also within the distillery grounds. Alongside classic blends, West Cork develops a range of cask finishes. The Beer Series includes the two bottlings finished in stout and IPA casks from Black’s of Kinsale.

Facts: