Slane Irish Whiskey has come to the market nearly two years after Brown-Forman announced the purchase of Slane Castle Irish Whiskey Limited. The company broke ground for its state-of-the-art distillery on September 29, 2015, in partnership with Henry and Alex Conyngham, of the Slane estate.  Whiskey production at the distillery is set to commence upon the completion of construction later this summer. Let’s then have a closer look at this new Irish kid!

“Slane Irish Whiskey is an exciting addition to the robust collection of whiskies available in the Brown-Forman Global Travel Retail portfolio.  It fills the important Irish Whiskey niche for us and will be a worthy companion to the Brown-Forman Whiskey line-up that includes such global favorites as Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey and Woodford Reserve Bourbon,” Farrer said.

Commenting on the global launch of Slane Irish Whiskey Paul Neeson, ARI’s global buying director said, “We are delighted to partner with Brown-Forman GTR on this world exclusive. The Irish Whiskey Collection is renowned for having the broadest range of Irish Whiskey in airport retail and Slane Whiskey is a very welcome addition to our market leading portfolio. Having tasted Slane Whiskey and learnt about its unique heritage I’ve no doubt that our legions of whiskey loving customers will be very keen to try this new exclusive. As a committed whiskey aficionado I firmly believe that premium Irish whiskies such as Slane Whiskey can stand proudly on shelf with any of the best whisk(e)y brands worldwide and I look forward to a long and successful partnership.”

Brown-Forman’s John Hudson, who was instrumental in the Slane Irish Whiskey project from the beginning, praised the whiskey as “the creation of an exceptional spirit, combining the traditions of the past with the emergent Ireland of today.”

The Slane Distillery is located within the grounds of Slane Castle in County Meath, about a forty minute drive north of Dublin. It is the first distillery built by Brown-Forman outside of the United States in the company’s over 145 year history.  The Slane Distillery and Visitor Centre are set to open in summer 2017.

Slane Irish Whiskey is a blend of the highest quality grain and malt Irish whiskeys, rested through a signature triple-casked method using virgin, seasoned and sherry casks.

Nose: Fresh & sweet with buttered brioche, marzipan, orange blossom, cinnamon rolls, porridge, baked apples, caramel, brown sugar and a whole array of sweet spices. There’s also something almost acidulous with floral notes, orchard fruits and delicious pastries. Overall, a very Irish nose!

Palate: More robust than I thought while nosing the spirit… Still easy-drinking with pot still spices and a drier/bitter appeal that really didn’t show in the nose. Vegetal notes of honeysuckle, tea leaves & bay leaf lead the way to burnt caramel, vanilla, herbal honey and white pepper. A dram with a strong character and its own personality, not your usual typical Irish for sure, and pretty good value for money if you want my opinion 😉

Finish: Medium with the spiciness of cloves coming through.

Pssst! Find the recipe Here!