CONNEMARA CASK STRENGTH SINGLE MALT IRISH WHISKEY

There are quiet moments in life, when there is nothing to match a large Cask Strength Connemara sitting in the bottom of a glass.  

The Connemara Pure Pot Still Peated Single Malt Irish Whiskey is a unique product, being the only single peated pure malt Irish whiskey distilled.  

Connemara Cask Strength is Connemara Single Malt bottled from the cask at around 60 per cent alcohol by volume.

The unique and exceptional quality of Connemara Cask Strength was recognised in the International Wine and Spirits Competition where it won a gold medal in 2000.

Prior to the Industrial Revolution, Irish distilleries dried the green malt over peat fires once the malted barley had germinated.  The smoke rising through the malted barley gave it a distinct peaty flavour and aroma.   

As many of the distilleries in Ireland were located alongside a canal, the transport of coal to the distilleries became far easier and cheaper.  Over time peat was then substituted with coal in the distilling process.  This temporarily killed the tradition of peated whiskeys.   Cooley Distillery has resurrected this process and recreated the Connemara Peated Single Malt Irish Whiskey to revive this lost tradition.  

The secret of the Connemara ’s special peated taste is in the drying process.  Once the malted barley has germinated it is dried over a peat fire.  

The melange of pure clear spring water and peated malted barley give the Connemara a rare flavour.  Slowly maturing for long years in oak casks, the natural ingredients and traditional distilling methods employed create a whiskey, which is simply spectacular.  

The famous Connemara region in the west of Ireland is a region of wild beauty, with majestic mountains, soft rain, mist, rivers, lakes and pure water carried eastward by the Atlantic winds. The Connemara Cask Strength Pure Pot Still Peated Single Malt is a taste of this majestic region of lakes and mountains.  

Tasting notes of Jim Murray, renowned Whiskey Commentator

Nose:                                      This is the unique aroma of peated Irish whiskey as nature intended.  When cold, the smokiness is quite lazy; warm in the glass and it starts to lift off into another, medicinal direction and positively amplifies when it reached the nostrils.  Wow!  

Taste:                                      Big, fat and oily start with enormous peat surge in the middle.  The peatiness is toasty and roasty rather than iodiney.  It absolutely fills the mouth yet still enables sufficient malt to come through to give some added complexity.                                                

Finish:                                     Massive peat clings to every crevice in the mouth and remains sweet and glorious.  

Serving Suggestions:             Connemara Cask Strength can be served neat in a tumbler glass, on the rocks, or with a little water to release the bouquet. It is ideal as an after dinner or weekend drink when one can truly enjoy a tranquil moment to savour this unique whiskey.

Awards:                                  IWSC gold winner in 2000  

Endorsements:                        “There are quiet moments in life, when there is nothing to match a large Cask Strength Connemara sitting in the bottom of a glass. You don't so much get tipsy as high.”  

“This is a gentle monster of a whiskey … in this beautifully natural, undiluted state; this is the most extraordinary whiskey to come out of Ireland in living memory. Top marks for this one”.  

“The higher strength Connemara intensifies the flavours associated with its predecessor at 40% alcohol by volume.  Careful selection of different aged whiskies has contributed to this being regarded as Cooley Distillery’s finest whiskey.  However, as with all peated malts its an acquired taste”.

Noel Sweeney, Cooley Master Blender.  

Note: Picture is of similar bottle not the exact bottles we have in stock.

CONNEMARA 1992 Single Cask

The first ever single cask official bottling, this is probably the rarest Connemara ever released being limited to just 246 bottles. Bottled from cask #3804 which was filled on 11th August 1992 bottled on 20th June 2008

Distillers Tasting Notes
Nose: Roses, heavy musk, damp conifers and bog. Pungent, intense, marine-like, a sweet minty note backed with a touch of lanolin. Good balance, with some creamy popcorn notes. The smokiness is somewhat subdued as you would expect at this age the nose is light sweet with creamy honey and lemon which invites you to rush in and taste this whiskey. But then you see the oak as it builds up with typical vanilla and chocolate aromas sprinkled with cinnamon.
Palate: Big, fat and oily start with enormous peat surge in the middle. Very soft, round and complex. There's warm honey, buttered crumpet and a hint of sweet pipe smoke. It absolutely fills the mouth yet still enables sufficient malt and oak to come through to give added complexity.
Finish: Massive peat clings to every crevice in the mouth and remains sweet and glorious.

CONNEMARA Sherry finish

The Connemara family has recently been expanded through the launch of a new "Small Batch Collection" series. This involves limited edition bottlings of new expressions of Connemara Peated Single Malt. The first release from the collection involves "finishing" Connemara in Sherry casks to impart further depth and flavour to the Whiskey. Connemara Sherry Finish contains Peated single malt ranging from 5 year old to 15 year old, all of which have been "finished" for 18 months in sherry casks. Bottles at 46% it is a remarkable well - balanced masterpiece.

Nose - Rich, gentle, smoky nose followed by flowery fragrance and some distinct sherry notes.

Taste - Well rounded mouth offers full range of flavours plus lots of citrus and marmalade.

Finish -  Good balance and long, impressive finish.

The official web-site is www.cooleywhiskey.com

Send mail to brittonmj@clear.net.nz with questions or comments about this web site.
Last modified: August 29, 2011