But I REALLY (*eyebrows lifting dramatically on "REALLY"*) do not like Cooley's malt whiskey. There's a specific thing going on with it that really turns off my palate. In my tasting notes I usually refer to it as "the Cooley thing" or "the Cooley character". It has taken me a year and a half to figure out how to describe it. It's sort of like vanilla-coated stale sugary breakfast cereal dunked in white vinegar. That's the closest I can get to capturing it. And it is specific to their malt; it's not in their Greenore single grain.
My guilt was lifted last year when Beam Inc. bought Cooley from the Teeling family. Now it is just another conglomerate-owned Irish distillery. As soon as the ink dried on the sale, Beam decided to let all of their contracts with third party bottlers expire. That means no more whiskey gets supplied to the much smaller companies. As a supporter of small businesses, I should be joining with the rest of the mourners and declare that this is a damned shame. But I REALLY do not like Cooley's malt, so it's difficult for me to get worked up about this in actuality.
I have tried twelve different Cooley-distilled whiskies in all sorts of formats: at pubs, official tastings, purchased samples, traded samples, and via my own bottles. I'd like to think I've given their whiskies plenty of opportunities and have even been a little generous in my ratings. But, unless I find something of theirs that's especially delicious and devoid of "the Cooley thing", I'm done.
Before tasting this week's lineup, I'd had positive thoughts about the Knappouge Castle 12 year old (with some bottle bottom oxidation), a Greenore Single Grain single cask, and the Tyrconnell 10 year old Madeira Finish. The last of those originally received a booming four stars when I tried it 21 months ago. With a wealth(?) of Cooleys consumed since then, I was ready to give it another try. On the surface, it comes with two big negatives: 1.) Cooley malt; 2.) a sweet wine finish. But maybe it's just crazy enough to work.
Brand: Tyrconnell (unpeated single malt)
Distillery: Cooley (owned by Beam Inc.)
Country: Ireland
Style: Single Malt Whiskey
Age: minimum 10 years
Maturation: ex-bourbon barrels, then former Madeira wine casks
Alcohol by Volume: 46%
I received a generous sample of this whisky from Florin who was impressed with it at first but then less so later. Another round of thank yous to him for the whiskey! I had been considering buying a whole bottle for myself. Did he save me from whiskey tragedy?
NEAT
The color is a very orange-tinted gold. It's possible this is its natural color, gaining hues from the wine cask. The nose begins with strawberry preserves, warm nectarines, orange marmalade, and peach schnapps. Warmed dessert wine and sugar cane show up next. In the far background rumbles the Cooley malt. The perfumed palate holds flower kiss candy, blackberry and boysenberry jam, and lychee. Vanilla and milk chocolate notes develop with some time. It's a combo of sweet and tart along with a buzz of heat. The blackberry and boysenberry jams stick around for the extensive finish. Orange Tang and Pixie Stix cover the tongue. The milk chocolate registers with more subtlety. An odd fruit tone shows up sometimes; maybe bitter or underripe fruit?
WITH WATER
Stinky cheese jumps into the nose first. Then some milder cheeses, along with the aforementioned fruit preserves. After that eases off, it's much similar to the neat nose, but mellower. Maybe some orange rind and tart lemons. The jams kick back in on the palate, followed by vague citrus and vanilla pudding notes. It's very creamy with that Cooley thing keeping its distance. Intense sugary sweetness on the finish.
This still holds its charms as a dessert drink. But is it whiskey? Technically, yes, but the malt only makes brief cameos. Due to my feelings about the malt's quality, I wasn't terribly disappointed it remained evasive. On the other hand, it is intensely sweet like a flavored whiskey rather than a finished one. Thus in a blind tasting, one might guess it's a liqueur.
While it doesn't feel, smell, or taste like whiskey (to me), I do still like it, especially the jam and fruit notes. I just don't love it the way I used to, nor at the level John Hansell does. So, yes, Florin saved me some whisk(e)y coin.
I would recommend this whiskey to someone who isn't big on single malts but does have a sweet tooth, as the sugar is very aggressive. Some of us just can't take the sweeties as much as we used to.
Availability - Many specialty retailers worldwide
Pricing - $75 to $100 (really unfortunate)
Rating - 81
