A Hat-trick of Whiskeys from the new Powerscourt Distillery

A Hat-trick of Whiskeys from the new Powerscourt Distillery

Powerscourt Distillery recently celebrated its first anniversary as a fully operating whiskey distillery with the opening of its visitor centre in the Old Mill House on Powerscourt Estate.  Master Distiller Noel Sweeney is a globally recognised expert who has already been credited for the release of many international award-winning whiskeys and was inducted into Whisky Magazine’s celebrated ‘Hall of Fame’ in 2017.  

I hope to visit Powerscourt in the near future but in the meantime I enjoyed the three whiskeys that make up the Fercullen Trilogy Set. The name comes from ‘FeraCulann’ or ‘Fercullen’, the Gaelic name given to the ancient and strategically important lands that surround and encompass Powerscourt Estate.

Like many young distilleries, Powerscourt are sourcing malt and grain from existing distilleries including Cooley Distillery. Here Noel Sweeney represents an unusual and valuable continuation as it was he who distilled this original liquid when he was Master Distiller in Cooley!

Fercullen Premium Blend Irish Whiskey, 40% abv, €44.00

A blend of carefully selected casks of aged malt and grain whiskeys, Fercullen Premium Blend Irish Whiskey, is aged in seasoned oak. Mid-gold in the glass, legs slow to clear as you’d expect. Surprisingly rich aromas, sweet too with vanilla notes. Quite smooth on the palate, quite a depth of flavour, a touch of toast, spice and sweetness too. Sweet finish too with those tropical fruits. Very promising indeed for their entry level drop. Then again distiller Noel Sweeney is far from entry level!

Fercullen 10 Year Old Single Grain Irish Whiskey, 40% abv, €57.50

Carefully selected from rare stocks of aged Irish Whiskey, the Fercullen 10-year-old Single Grain Irish Whiskey has been aged exclusively in white oak for over a decade before being recasked to mature in fresh bourbon barrels.  A bit more gold in the colour here, plus the slow legs of course. Vanilla, honey and spice in the sweet aromas, more rounded, if slightly less intense, than the blend. Beautifully smooth and balanced on the palate; harmonious combinations all the way, nothing jars at all, no extremes, easy sipping to a long and lovely finale.

Fercullen 14-Year-Old Single Malt Irish Whiskey, 46%,  €92.95

Carefully selected from rare stocks of aged Irish whiskey, Fercullen 14-Year-Old Single Malt has been expertly distilled and set aside to mature in bourbon barrels by one of Ireland’s most accomplished Master Distillers Noel Sweeney. It is matured in Bourbon barrels. The darkest of the three. Also the strongest of the three, so slow slow legs. Aromas are quite mature and intense: vanilla, honey, fruit, herb and spice. So smooth, so harmonious on the palate, sweet and silky and fresh from start to finish. Gather up this Single Malt. Keep one for every one you drink now!