Dingle Distillery “Samhain” Single Malt Irish Whiskey
Dingle Distillery “Samhain” Single Malt Irish Whiskey celebrates one of the Celtic fire festivals, part of the Dingle Celtic Wheel of the Year series.
In place of the Wren Boy, featured on the Dingle Single Malt Irish Whiskey, we have the representation of fire for the end-of-October festival. Samhain - pronounced “sah-when” or “sow-in” like a cow and as almost a single syllable - is the beginning of winter and the start of the Celtic year. Appropriately, when this was introduced on October 31, 2022, it was the first release in the Wheel of the Year series.
Samhain is now associated most with the modern Halloween, the latter having taken many pages from the former’s book: the idea that on this day (evening to evening - the Celtic day started at sunset) the veil between the dead and the living was thinnest, going around in costume for food or goods, and lighting bonfires. Brought over by many Irish and Scottish immigrants in the last 200 years, our modern Halloween is a little closer to the treat side than the trick side.
Dingle’s “Samhain” takes their single malt whiskey, aged in first fill ex-bourbon casks, and finishes them for a long two years in muscatel casks. The result is, as expected, on the sweeter side, but not overbearingly so, which is always a risk with muscatel (also called muscat, moscati, moskat, and other similar cognates). A sweet fortified wine, muscatel brings notes of golden raisins and semisweet chocolate without imparting much cask influence. It’s a lesser-used finish, but one I enjoy.
For Dingle, the Samhain Single Malt is solid - the underlying malt character described in my review of their Dingle Single Malt is still there, and the muscatel doesn’t get in the way. I do think, for whatever reason, the extra proof here isn’t needed (we’re talking 4%, from 46.3% to 50.5%), as it drinks a bit hot on the first few sips, but it cools down after some air. If you can push past that first brashness, the single malt and the muscatel work beautifully together. Perhaps, being a Samhain release, it needed a little fire.
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Thank you to Dingle Distillery for providing this bottle free of charge. All opinions are my own.
Dingle Distillery “Samhain” Single Malt Irish Whiskey: Specs
Classification: Irish Single Malt Whiskey
Producer: Dingle Distillery
Mashbill: 100% Malted Barley
Proof: 101 (50.5% ABV)
Age: NAS
Location: Ireland
Dingle Distillery “Samhain” Single Malt Irish Whiskey Price: $150
Dingle Distillery “Samhain” Single Malt Irish Whiskey: Tasting Notes
Eye: Pale gold, sauternes in a glass. Thick rims heavy with large droplets.
Nose: Sweeter overtone from the muscatel, but not cloying, and it doesn’t mask the malt underneath. Jasmine green tea, golden raisins soaked in gin. Drying oak comes with some air. Smells like summer in a flower field.
Palate: Peppery on the mid-to-front half of my tongue, the alcohol-soaked golden raisins showing this pour’s increased proof. The sweetness from the muscatel is clearly there in a background syrupy way, mild astringency. Mouthfeel is oily, lighter than expected, but keeps a nice burn going, growing thicker on the chew. Semisweet chocolate and citrus rind with a pleasant tang.
Finish: Chocolate proves coating and lasting, wonderful lactone notes covering the full length of my tongue. Medium length and mouthwatering finish.
Overall: The muscatel and single malt pair well with the semisweet chocolate balancing the added sweetness with a little extra proof. I do think the single malt is just slightly more balanced on its own, with this being a bit hot at times. Still delicious and fitting for a drink on a Samhain evening.
Final Rating: 7.1
10 | Insurpassable | Nothing Else Comes Close
9 | Incredible | Extraordinary
8 | Excellent | Exceptional
7 | Great | Well above average
6 | Very Good | Better than average
5 | Good | Good, solid, ordinary
4 | Has promise but needs work
1-3 | Let’s have a conversation
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