Powers John’s Lane 12 Year Review
In-Depth Review
Power’s John Lane comes from the powerhouse Irish distillery Midleton (makers of Redbreast, Jameson, and more). While it was originally founded in 1791 in Dublin, Powers has since been absorbed into the Irish Distillers family and is now produced at Midleton Distillery in County Cork. Powers was once one of the biggest names in Irish whiskey, with worldwide distribution and burgeoning production capacities. By the turn of the century Powers was producing more than 1 million gallons of whiskey a year – more than 5 times the annual output of Glenlivet.
But a combination of factors ultimately led to Powers fall from preeminence. First was World War I, which, to say the least, was a generally chaotic time in Europe. Then was the Anglo-Irish trade war, which had major negative effects on the Irish whiskey industry. But the final blow was Prohibition in the United States – Ireland’s number one export market. The combination of all of these factors eventually crippled the Irish whiskey industry and ultimately forced companies into major consolidations in order to survive. In 1966, Powers joined forces with Jameson and Sons, and Cork Distilling Company to create Irish Distilleries Ltd. Since 1976, Powers has been produced at Midleton Distillery.
The John’s Lane expression sits atop the Powers range, and carries a 12-year age statement, non-chill filtration, and a healthy 46% ABV. All of this sounds like a recipe for a fantastic Irish whiskey. Let’s see how it fares.
Age: 12 Year
ABV: 46%
Cask: Ex-Bourbon and Sherry (Mostly Bourbon)
MSRP: $60
Distillery Name: Midleton
Review Date: 12/14/20
Color: Dark Amber
Nose: The nose is big. Very big. Thick stewed fruits. Overripe bananas mix with pineapples and red apples. A dash of honey is quickly overpowered by Flambéed fruits and warm, sticky, figgy pudding. A little clove and nutmeg sneak their way in as well. This is what you’d get if you were to caramelize fruits with brown sugar and alcohol. Rich and beautiful nose that initially caught me off guard.
Palate: The palate has an excellent mouthfeel, with a thick oily texture and 46% ABV providing a good amount of kick. The fruit flavors from the nose carry over into the palate. Banana foster. Roast pineapple and custard. Maple syrup sweetness with some baking spices like cinnamon sticks and nutmeg hiding underneath the powerful fruits. Milk chocolate and oak also make an appearance, likely a result of the ex-Bourbon barrel aging.
Finish: The baking spices carry onto the finish, with more cardamon and lingering heat. There are still rich, fruit elements present on the finish, but they are more subdued and instead give way to marzipan and banana bread. No bitterness or dryness to speak of.
Final Thoughts: This is a deep, decadent, dessert whiskey. A perfect after dinner drink to take the place of a chocolate soufflé or raspberry cobbler. The longer the whiskey sits in the glass the darker the fruits become. It moves from being a tropical Pavlova to more like a traditional Christmas fruit cake. This is a great whisky, that even at 46% is completely docile even to a newer palate.
When I cracked it for the first time, the overripe and pungent nose almost spoiled it for me. But as the bottle has been left to breathe, the flavors have really become to come through. It is a far more enjoyable bottle for me after a few months than when I first dove in. If Redbreast or Jameson is too pedestrian for you, I would recommend grabbing a bottle of this. It cranks the sweetness up to 11 and provides an excellent mouthfeel that seems perfect to keep you warm on those long winter nights.
