Lambay Whiskey is an Irish whiskey brand developed by two families, one being those behind the Camus Cognac label. Releases under this whiskey brand are typically Cognac cask finished, and the latest, a 20 year old expression, follows in that trend.
The new Lambay Single Malt Castle Prestige Edition 20 Years Old, according to those behind it, is a triple distilled Irish single malt whiskey that was “sourced from a leading Irish distillery and carefully aged in bourbon barrels for 18 years, before being finished for a further 2 years in Cognac casks.”
As part of Lambay’s backstory, the bonded warehouse where this whiskey is aged is housed on Lambay Island, an Irish isle complete with a restored 15th century castle and grounds designed by the famous Edwin Lutyens. It is said to be a sanctuary to unique and flourishing wildlife such as a troupe of wallabies as well as puffins, sea birds and grey seals.
Given the island’s maritime influences, this is said to allow the whiskey to “undergo its unique maritime maturation process, giving the perfectly placed French oak casks the opportunity to absorb the rich micro climate of the maritime winds and sea pollens on Lambay. Water from the Islands own spring, Trinity Well is also used in the final flourish of the whiskey.”
“With the prestige of five generations of the world’s finest French Cognac blending and maturation expertise, along with the impact of a unique maritime finish on our whiskey, our goal was to truly craft a single malt that has the spirit of Lambay to its core,” said Lambay Managing Director, Jean-David Costerg, in a prepared statement.
“Ensuring each cask receives the maximum benefit of the Island’s unique micro-climate of sea aerosols and pollens, this single malt is uniquely crafted to deliver on balance and aromatic intensity along with a depth of complexity and smooth taste, presenting a truly unique taste journey,” added Lambay’s Master Blender, Yonael Bernard.
As is typical with higher end releases like this, it comes in premium packaging. Also tied to it are digital storytelling tools that “unlock” only when a qr code is scanned from the bottle’s label.
The Lambay Whiskey Single Malt Castle Prestige Edition 20 Years Old is set for sale around €560-600 throughout the EU, US, and Asia and is limited to 8,000 bottles. It will also be available via shop.lambaywhiskey.com.
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Official tasting notes are as follows for this 43% ABV bottling.
Nose: Warm vanilla, smooth oak, mature plums, green apples, hints of Iodine, and lingering rancio. Aromatic yet gentle and pleasant, the maritime influence of salt and iodine is present, with rich vanilla, rancio, and a hint of spice and green fruits.
Taste: Exotic spices such as Saffron, Ginger, and pepper, with sweet pastry- like notes of almond, honey, and nuts (walnuts). A whiskey that reflects our true maritime influence, iodine, and salt with a smooth and pleasant full mouthfeel. Plum & Apple fruit is well balanced with this cognac-cask finish, lingering spice notes of ginger create a long finish of green fruits & spice.
Finish: Explosive long-lasting rancio fruit balanced with salt, pepper, and an elegant smooth lingering long finish. Long-lasting sweetness with a good balance of oak and salt, a lingering mouthfeel yet elegant in the finish with hints of honey and ginger.
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