Glendalough 7 Year Mizunara Oak

In-Depth Review

Founded by five friends in the Wicklow mountains outside of Dublin, Glendalough distillery looks to bring back the magic of Irish craft whiskey distilling that’s been lost in the face of the massive operations like Midleton and Bushmills. Founded in 2011, Glendalough is a relative newcomer to the whiskey world, but isn’t afraid to eschew traditional Irish whiskey norms to explore new territories. After originally sourcing whiskies from Cooley distillery, they released their first expressions with their own distillate in 2019 and have created a cult following around the world since. They now have a solid core offering of mostly non-age stated whiskies but have recently explored using famous Japanese Mizunara oak in their more limited expressions.

Today we are going to try one of those Mizunara finished whiskies, with a deep dive into the Glendalough 7-Year Mizunara oak finished whiskey. Bottled at a minimum of 7 years and bottled at 46% ABV, Glendalough takes batches of 100% pot still whiskies aged in various types of casks before finishing them in Mizunara oak casks sourced from Hokkaido, Japan. Mizunara casks are incredibly expensive to buy with strict limits on the number of trees that can be chopped down for their use. This might help explain why a malt aged only 7 years would have an almost $100 price tag. But regardless, let’s dive in and see if it’s worth the price!

Age: 7 years

ABV: 46%

Cask: Finished in Japanese Mizunara oak

MSRP: $99

Distillery Name: Glendalough

Review Date: 6/10/23

Color: Bright Gold

Nose: The nose begins with a thick, syrupy, sweet character with notes of treacle, honey, orange, chocolate, and molasses. It’s a rich, dessert-y nose that reminds me of an orange sticky toffee pudding. As it settles in the glass it returns with a burst of honey. It’s an unusual nose that’s unlike any Irish whiskey I’ve had previously.

Palate: On the palate, there is a burst of flavor at the onset. Starts with another blast of honey before moving to baked pastry, with stewed fruits, and bright citrus. Then comes waves of chocolate, sugared lemon, cereal, and raisins. The Mizunara oak seems to have snuck some exotic wood notes, with a touch of incense and teak. Maybe some sandalwood oil. The mouthfeel is good, sticking and coating the mouth in a thick layer of whiskey goodness. But the palate is not nearly as sweet as the nose but remains unusual in the Irish category.

Finish: Medium length finish that goes floral. There’s a touch of heather, lavender, and rose mixed with fresh coffee grounds and black licorice.

Final Thoughts: This whiskey takes you on a ride. Unlike any Irish whiskey I’ve had before, Glendalough’s 7-year Mizunara oak completely disregards the traditional Irish whiskey stereotype and takes the category to deeper, and richer places. The nose was full of sweet, honey and dessert notes while the palate was bright sugared lemon and cereal. The finish was coffee and floral, with a finish that was almost boring compared to the rest of the experience. It’s a whiskey that demands your attention – and if you don’t give it, you might find yourself getting lost in all these twists and turns. Is it worth $100? It’s hard to say. But if you want to be challenged and taken on an adventure – this might be your perfect pour.

Score: 91