It is the second day of spring. It seems fitting to have something spring-y.
The Tyrconnell ★★★★★ Single Malt (40%, Andrew A.Watt & Co. imported by Fourcroy-Renglet, L2014, b. ca 2000): one has to admire how this is advertised as both a single malt and a pure pot still whiskey on the label. It is, in fact, a Cooley in disguise, hence a (double-distilled) single malt. Nose: discreet, gentle and delicate, almost absent (who said: "boring"?), it ends up giving forsythia buds, kerria Japonica not yet in bloom, buttercups and other (yellow) meadow flowers. Behind that, a sweet note appears, perhaps not quite Turkish delights, yet it is definitely some kind of sweets that is augmented with a drop of rose water or orange-blossom water, so it certainly points towards the east end of the Mediterranean. Again, it is pretty toned down, but present. Swirling the whiskey in the glass helps other aromas come out, namely: hazel sap and crocus petals. Even later, the softly medicinal touch of muscle-strain-tape glue starts tickling the nostrils, accompanied by cuberdons and polished nutwood. An odd mix, perhaps, yet it works. It is remarkable how seasonal this one smells: it is lively, flowery and spontaneous like a child, yet also delicate and a little timid, as if not fully awake from the long winter slumber. Mouth: amazingly, it displays a soft bitterness that I would associate with the same muscle-strain-tape glue! Then, it is hazel sap, green-hazelnut paste, hazelnut liqueur and yellow flowers aplenty (kerria, forsythia, buttercups), and a drop of calamansi juice too. The second sip is all thin, juicy softness, reminiscent of white peach and white plum (not quite mirabelle plum), with a dash of white rum. It feels very clean and pure, with its thin, silky texture. More flowers emerge, with time, culminating in yellow-tulip petals. Finish: creamy, it has a lick of milk chocolate and hazelnut paste, as well as the yellow flowers and the bitter note of the palate -- this time, it appears to be almond liqueur, rather than green hazelnut -- and white-flesh fruits. Repeated sipping only helps solidify those flavours. It also brings up an increasing alcohol kick. Funny how it will often take several sips of a 60% dram to get used to it and make it seem lower than it is, yet several sips of a 40% whiskey make it seem gradually stronger. Wood spices (birch bark, crushed cedarwood sheets, coconut shavings) flirt with crème brûlée or panna cotta (they are different) and creamy celeriac soup. I have known this Tyrconnell for twenty years, probably. An excellent gateway drug that never disappoints. 7/10
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