Editor’s Note: This whiskey was provided to us as a review sample by Flying Tumbler. This in no way, per our editorial policies, influenced the final outcome of this review. It should also be noted that by clicking the buy link towards the bottom of this review our site receives a small referral payment which helps to support, but not influence, our editorial and other costs.
Flying Tumbler Irish Whiskey ‘The Bird’ is the first of three Irish whiskey expressions by the Walsh family to launch for the first time in the U.S. market. Its initial unveiling by the Walsh siblings, Patrick, Thomas, Jen, and Eric, occurred in Dublin, Ireland in August of 2020.
Flying Tumbler is an independent Irish whiskey bottler located in Co. Carlow, Ireland. ‘The Bird’ is an homage to the Irish Flying Tumbler pigeon, known for its innate ability of finding its home.
Drawing inspiration from their family roots and their travels while working in various corners of the world, the Walsh’s returned to their family farm in Ireland, which has the distinction of growing award-winning malted barley for generations. Upon their return, they worked with distilling experts to craft small batches of Irish whiskey inspired by their travels.
The Walsh family uses Irish techniques such as triple distillation, aging for over three years, and using only Ireland-sourced ingredients. In a prepared statement, Thomas Walsh, who is head of sales for the company said, “We source, mature, blend and bottle every drop of our whiskey at our base in Carlow, Ireland, and cut all of our whiskey to drinking ABV with water directly from our family farm.”
Flying Tumbler Irish Whiskey ‘The Bird’ is a blend of triple distilled single grain and single malt whiskey matured in ex-bourbon barrels and ex-Oloroso sherry butts. It has a mash bill of 70% grain, 25% malted barley, and 5% premium blended 12 year old Irish whiskey, and is not chill filtered. According to Eric Walsh, “The result is a whiskey that’s vanilla forward on the nose, has a smooth mouthfeel and finishes with notes of vanilla, figs and raisins, the ideal accompaniment for any classic whiskey cocktail.”
I found this whiskey to be very straightforward; what I detected on the nose and the palate was fairly similar. Although it has a minimalist flavor profile, it is clean and slightly sweet, with grass and citrus notes on the nose, and vanilla, white pepper, and raisins on the palate. This spirit is well suited for cocktails and as a mellow sipping whiskey.
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Tasting Notes: Flying Tumbler Irish Whiskey ‘The Bird’
Vital Stats: Aged 6 years, 52 proof (43% ABV), mash bill: 70% grain, 25% malted barley, and 5% blended whiskey. Sourced, matured, and bottled in Ireland, 750 ml bottle MSRP $43.
Appearance: Pale straw.
Nose: Citrus, lemongrass, hints of cherry lozenge, wild flowers, and soft, earthy notes rise from the glass.
Palate: It has a light lemon zest flavor reminiscent of the mist that comes off a lemon peel when twisted over a cocktail. There are also flavors of white pepper, vanilla, golden raisins, and hints of ripe banana.