Writers’ Tears 2018 Cask Strength Whiskey Cleared for Take Off!
It looks like Cask Strength Irish Whiskeys are like buses. You wait ages for one and then two come along together! Only yesterday we shared news of the launch of the Jameson 18 Bow Street Cask Strength. today, we bring you the 2018 expression of Writers’ Tears Cask Strength from the Walsh Whiskey Distillery in Royal Oak Carlow.
But maybe more airliner than bus in this case as the 2018 vintage of Writers’ Tears Cask Strength whiskey was launched last night at an exclusive event hosted by the Aviators’ Whiskey Society on the periphery of Dublin’s International Airport here in Ireland.
The Aviators Whiskey Society is one of the leading whiskey Clubs in Ireland. Based out of Dublin Airport, many of it’s members are the very special people who showcase Irish whiskey each day in the Irish Whiskey Collection shops in Terminals One and Two in Dublin Airport.
The 2018 vintage of Writers’ Tears is the 8th annual release of this super-premium whiskey from Walsh Whiskey. It is a rare vatting of aged Single Pot Still and Single Malt Whiskey, treble distilled, natural non-chill filtered, carefully aged in Bourbon barrels and bottled at 53% ABV. The release is limited to just 5,175 individually numbered bottles, signed by Walsh Whiskey Founder and Chief Executive – Bernard Walsh, for sale across selected markets worldwide including Ireland, the UK, Australia, Bulgaria, Canada, France, Germany, Poland, Russia, Taiwan, Ukraine and selected travel retail outlets.
Describing this year’s cask strength release of Writers’ Tears, Bernard Walsh, said:
“This whiskey displays a complex nose of toasted cereal, almond oils, creamy chocolate and sweet floral notes. On the palate it reveals wild honey, summer fruits and fresh ginger all underpinned by a spicy single pot still base. It has a delicate, warmth and lingering finish. I hope the lucky few who acquire this year’s release enjoy every moment.”
The packaging of the 2018 vintage has a variation on the design introduced last year, featuring an illustration by Irish artist Linda Byrne. Set against a redbrick backdrop, the illustration depicts the whiskey distilling process from field-to-bottle, amid the main features of Walsh Whiskey Distillery’s Royal Oak estate including the distillery, the River Barrow and Holloden House which was built in 1755.
Irish Artist Linda Byrne depicts the whiskey distilling process from field-to-bottle, amid the main features of Walsh Whiskey Distillery’s Royal Oak estate.
Official Tasting Notes to the 2018 Vintage of Writers’ Tears Cask Strength Whiskey
Nose
Hints of toasted cereal, almond oils, creamy chocolate and sweet floral notes.
Taste
Wild honey, medley of summer fruits, fresh ginger and a spicy single pot still base.
Finish
A delicate warmth and finish, with a touch of lingering clove.
The Recommended Retail Price of the 2018 Writers Tears Cask Strength is €130 or STG£110.
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We have not conducted our own tasting yet, but based on previous expressions from Writers’ Tears we expect that we will be awarding the 2018 Cask Strength Writers’ Tears a Four Pooka Rating.
Stuart McNamara (@WhiskeyBlogger) is an international Whiskey Blogger who edits several International Whisk(e)y and Whiskey Tourism sites including IrishWhiskey.com and WhiskeyBlogger.com. He is Chair of the Irish Craft And Artisan Distilleries Association (ICADA) and is an elected member of the National Council of ISME, the Irish SME Association. He is also the creator and editor of International Irish Whiskey Day which is celebrated on 3/3 or 3rd March each year and had a global social media reach in 2021 of over 20 Million. He is a Director of Portmagee Whiskey and has also acted as both a brand and product development consultant to several other Irish Whiskey and other spirits producers.
