Tyrconnell Adds an Irish Whiskey Finished in Former Madeira Casks

The Tyrconnell Irish Whiskey brand, one of the myriad whiskey labels owned by Beam Suntory, is produced at the Cooley Distillery, nestled in the foothills of the Cooley Mountains in County Louth, Ireland. It is here the whiskey is typically aged, and sometimes finished, in a range of different cask types. One of these happens to be Madeira.

The new Tyrconnell 15 Year Old Madeira Cask Finish, according to those behind it, is a limited edition bottling initially aged for 15 years in American white oak ex-bourbon barrels before being finished in ex-Madeira wine casks from Portugal’s Madeira island for an undisclosed amount of time. The brand is not new to finishing in different cask types, having been at it since 2007. In fact a 10-year-old Madeira finish, said to be one of the first Irish whiskeys aged in Madeira casks, has been part of the permanent line up for a number of years now.

“We knew we had discovered something special when we first began experimenting with finishing The Tyrconnell in Madeira casks,” said John Cashman, Tyrconnell Global Brand Ambassador, in a prepared statement. “Because we are in the fortunate position of being one of the oldest Irish whiskey-producing companies, we have the patience to wait 15 long years to present something truly remarkable. The 15 year old Tyrconnell finished in Madeira casks is a beautifully rich and spicy spirit, one that I like to enjoy neat or over a few cubes.”

Produced in traditional pot stills, The Tyrconnell is said to be one of a rare few Irish whiskeys that utilizes double distillation. This particular release, bottled at 46% ABV, is pricing for around $100 for a 750 ml bottle. You’ll find official tasting notes for it below. The brand name Tyrconnell, by the way, is drawn from the name of a legendary Irish racing horse from the late 1800s.

• AROMA: Wafer biscuit sweet vanilla aromas mingle with banana bread and deep red fruit skin. Very soft and approachable with hazelnut and dark sugar lingering under the surface.
• TASTE: Initially soft but then an explosion of spice. Viscous and oily, coating the mouth with stone fruit, hints of Peach Melba and a fresh herbaceous zest.
• FINISH: Astonishingly long, initially sweet with the stone fruit to the fore followed closely by burnt orange peel, drying with an almost evergreen forest freshness and a finale of spice that lingers for what seems like an eternity.