These are our notes...
They're both peated, yes.
The Dark Silkie, after distillation, is supposed to be 22 PPM. The Midnight I think is a little more.
They're both great whiskies. They're peated but not scotch level peated obviously. The dark silkie is a gorgeous drop, very well balanced and just different enough to make you appreciate that theres much more of an Irish whiskey heritage to tap into beyond our normal middleton/bushmills/teeling offerings. Its a great whiskey. The midnight Silkie takes it up a notch with the wine influence, offerring an unusual funky lactic note that works well with the peat that is just unheard of in Irish whiskies. The Dark Silkie is class, but the Midnight Silkie IMO is highly memorable. Id buy the Midnight over the Dark all day every day,
...Well, they're more peated than many scotches, but less peated than others.
1 litre bottle for 35 quid
Where's that on sale?
Did this on Monday. Actually enjoyed the Midnight more than the (cask strength) Dark Silkie, which I didn't expect. As sometimes happens with me, the bottle has grown on me as I've made my way through it - I was a little disappointed with the Midnight Silkie when I first opened it.
Tonight I'm having a little drop of Killowen Rum & Raisin over ice. Really gonna miss this one when it's gone.
Interesting. I'd say the cask strength Dark is my best new whiskey of the last few years (thanks to the secret santa)
Haven't tried the Midnight, must correct that omission
The Midnight Silkie is a blended malt too isn't it? While the Dark is blended whiskey, though to be honest, they're bith still great quality and value. I've heard the Rum and Raisin is available in 700ml now?
London, unfortunately.
might skip it so 😁
Yeah, both very good blends. I was only surprised because I expected to enjoy the Dark more - I wasn't disappointed with either of them. :)
None of the Silkies are every going to be aspirational or grail whiskies, but they're solid and I think they offer a surprising amount at their price points. I guess they'd be my 'supermarket Irish whiskey choice' generally.
I enjoyed the bottle of Midnight Silkie I had. I know I'd like the cask strength, but I'm just sure I would want to bump up my spend to 90 euro for it.
The Red Silkies are an underrated part of their line-up also. I've had the rioja and pomerol. Red wine finishes can be a bit tricky sometimes, but they do it well, I don't know does it come down to wine barrel selection or what.
If anyone has the chance to taste the pomerol Red Silkie, ask yourself, which prominent more expensive Irish single malt does it remind you of?
Redbreast, was what was suggested to me, at a tasting of it.
I'd have to say, yes, surprisingly so. Undoubtedly unintended, but oddly "on the nose", if you'll excuse the pun.
Tough week at work, time to relax with one of these. Gets me every time, classic Speyside smoothness and sweetness, but with a lovely peaty finish
Where did you find the Silkies? I have not seen them in any off licenses near me. Would try one, maybe the red for the spoiler reason, but online prices are not far off the spoiler choice
The distillery shop... Same price as online however. I think you're right, only 15 or so in the difference?
If you get it I'd think of it more as "if I like A I might like B", and also maybe if you just want something slightly new at same time.
Can you recommend any "groups" "exchanging" samples?
Would really like to taste first before going for full bottle.
Thanks
I’d say not worth it.
I tasted it first at the Teeling distillery in 2021 and I got to take some home. The overall impression was of a spirit too young yet. The nose appeared very young, grainy and chemically (is it the feints that smell more like that?). It hit all hot and peppery, which is not unusual for a pot still whiskey. But I didn’t get much else other than a hot, young spirit - it could just as well be tequila - no finesse.
Then i tasted it in Dublin airport last year, and that release seemed a good step up from what i had previously tasted. It was approx 6yrs old I was told. Who knows what a few more years will bring.
Picked up that bottle few years back.
Cracked it open and I am pleasantly surprised. Quite sweet.
Also catching few rays of sunlight so paring it with Leon Jimenes Cigar.
Quiet Sunday afternoon.
Slainte.
Lucky for some....
Thoughts on the whiskey?
Got the WD o connell 5 year amontillado as a present. Trying it tonight. It's nice, reminds me of something but I'm not sure. I think it's Kilkerran, where the peat comes across as burnt rubber but in a nice way, which I get is weird
Quite sweet but also little bit smoky.
Enjoyed it but need to pair it again with dark chocolate.
Smooth.
Sounds pleasant.
It's hardly the point, but I do think the branding on that particular release looks great.
I've always enjoyed various JW offerings when I've had them. Along with Chivas Regal, their products are better, imo, than the reputation that they sometimes enjoy among whisky people, if that makes sense.
I agree. Johnnie Walker are a very safe pair of hands (once you get past the red. Though, to be fair, that's not too bad given it's very cheap)
The black is very decent, I really like the double black, green is good and all the random editions I've tried have been nice (The Spice Road is the only one I can really remember though)
I was at an Indian wedding with an open bar once, and had a good time with a bottle of JW Gold.
Experimenting with miniatures tonight.
Bottles, labels, wax, string. Quite happy with the outcome.
While doing that I killed my can of bourbon.
Sláinte
Young and grainy. That was my reaction as well.
Was in Scotland over the weekend, and picked up a bottle of Lochlea 2nd crop Harvest.
Lochlea is an Ayrshire farm distillery, reasonably positive reviews but I've never previously tried them. A complete punt. I think the age is 3-5 years.
They're releasing this 2nd crop batch in four different cask finishes. This one is a medley of port, sherry and STR barrique finishes, I think.
I drove on the ferry, and if anyone does use Stranraer, worth popping into A.D Rattray, about an hour from the ferry... It's an independent bottler, they have a range of nice cask strength bottlings from a variety of distilleries, all priced 40-85 GBP or so. Some potential value in there, I think, depending on the cask quality.
Hah what a coincidence! I got the First Crop Edition of Harvest just last week on auction. We'll have to compare notes! I think the first crop doesn't have STR but does have ex bourbon, port and sherry.
I like that John Campbell is charge at Lochlea. He's done great things at Laphroaig.
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