Dingle Whiskeys are some of the most sought after whiskeys on the Irish market at the moment, which is no surprise that their whiskeys sell out in all retailers from almost the moment they go on sale. This was no different for the recently released Dingle Whiskey, Single Pot Still Batch 2. This whiskey went on general sale in late 2018 and was sold out in a matter of days. As I have discussed with Dingle’s Head Distiller, Michael Walsh on Potstilled Radio, this massive cult following for the bottles has led to massive second hand market prices that exceed the original retail value by ten plus times in some instances. Thankfully, the distillery has continued to release its whiskey at affordable retail prices, allowing any whiskey enthusiasts quick enough, to enjoy their whiskeys, not just those looking to flip them for a few quid.
In our discussion on Potstilled Radio, Head Distillery Michael Walsh theorised that the prices that these bottles are achieving online have meant that very few of the bottles have been opened around the world, leading Dingle Whiskey to possibly be, one of the most sought after, yet more infrequently tasted whiskey on the market. This can actually be reflected in a quick online search for tasting notes on the various Dingle bottlings. Reviews that actually dissect the flavour of the whiskey are few and far between, outside of specialist retailers. Which might help back up Michael’s theory that only a few people are actually opening their bottles.
If anyone is wondering how the Dingle Whiskeys taste you can check out my comparative tasting between their first and third batch single malts as well as their Single Pot Still Batch 1, here: Dingle Whiskey Review.
In my experience, Single Pot Still tends to mature just that bit faster than malt whiskeys and this hypothesis can be witnessed in the Dingle batches. Batch one and two of the Single Pot Still have come through immaturity much faster than their malt siblings. These expressions have less astringency to them and are far more balanced in my opinion.
Dingle Single Pot Still Batch 2:
Abv: 46.5% ABV
Cask regiment: Ex-Bourbon, Ex- Oloroso and Ex-Pedro Ximenez sherry.
Nose: Upfront, straight away there is some sweet American oak influence, this is then followed by a a wave of yellow peach, white pepper, a hint of dark currants and juicy green apple. This is then rounded out by an undertone of creamy vanilla, dry, oily citrus and a grain-y biscuitiness, not too dissimilar to the nose of lemon cream biscuits.
Palate: There is an initial wood sweetness that is followed by a light ginger, buttery biscuitiness, which almost leads to a top heavy grain note but this is soon replaced with the pepper and oily citrus from the nose. There is a hint of nuttiness and light wood tannins closing out the rear.
Finish: This whiskey closes with a lingering woody tongue prickle, a dry, oily orange pith with a slight hint of dried herbs.
As I have mentioned, Dingle whiskeys have been characteristically quite spry and young up to this point, which is not at all surprising considering the age of the distillery. This expression does have a spry and slightly young nose but the immaturity is almost lost completely on the palate. Obviously, this whiskey will take time to truly come of age, although, like I said, it is decidedly differentiated from any other pot stills on the market right now. I enjoy the pot still prickle and the grain forward nature of the whiskey, the palate is brilliantly balanced and I for one, am looking forward to Batch 3 with great zeal.
Their underlying Dingle DNA is just starting to rear its head and those of us who are drinking along are essentially growing up with the Dingle whiskey, discovering what it has in store along the way. If you have read my Batch 1 review, here, then you might recognise some of the same characteristics returning. On the nose, both whiskeys demonstrate characteristics of dark currants, a creamy biscuity note, as well as a dry citrus pith element. On the palate, both whiskeys boast a light nuttiness, and spry spice which are followed by medium finishes. Not all of these can be attributed to the spirits themselves but I for one will be interested to see how future batches develop on these flavours.
Read about Dingle’s Single Malt Batch 4 coming soon, here.
Sláinte.
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