Clontarf 1014 Irish Whiskey – Review

Clontarf 1014 Triple Distilled Irish Whiskey

80 Proof

Price Point: $15 – $25 for 750 ML

Distiller: Unknown

Background

99% of my reviews are from bottles that I purchased on my own.  However, I am always open to trying new whiskeys and reviewing them honestly on this blog, even if they are given to me for free.  I feel I owe it to the readers of this blog to let you know that this and my next three reviews were from whiskeys given to me by Castle Brands.  As always, I will review these fairly and objectively; I have not been paid by this company to review these whiskeys.

That being said, the first whiskey I will review is Clontarf 1014 Irish Whiskey.

Review

The nose on Clontarf 1014 is medicinal, grainy, and honeyed.  It’s also floral and fruity, in a very light way.

In the mouth, this whiskey has a medium-bodied mouthfeel.  It’s tastier than expected, but still just a basic Irish.  Clontarf 1014 is very young (aged four years) and triple-distilled in the Irish tradition – removing the bulk of the base of the whiskey’s flavor, in my opinion.  There’s very little wood (barrel) influence and all grainy high notes.

The finish is fruity, surprising me with its decent length.

Rating & Recommendations

Clontarf 1014 gets a C+ overall grade, with a rating of 78 out of 100.

This is just about what you would expect out of an entry-level Irish whiskey.  Fans of Jameson that want a little more bang for their buck may enjoy this one.

-Ryan