The posts about Irish Whisky made me go forth and experiment beyond the norm (Jameson, Murphy's, and Bushmill's) of mass produced mediocrity.
Enter Clontarf Single Malt Irish Whisky.
From beerliquors.com "Clontarf Irish Whiskey The Clontarf family are Irish whiskeys of distinction. The purity of the Irish elements is reflected in their smooth, full flavor. Inspired by Brian Boru's legendary victory at the Battle of Clontarf in 1014 AD, Clontarf is a truly unique Irish whiskey. The land over which Brian Boru had made himself High King, or Ard Ri was still heavily forested and rich in natural resources. Cattle were the economic backbone of the country. Viking-built trading cities such as Dublin and Limerick were exceptions; Ireland remained rural, dependent upon the land, suspicious of urban life. The inspirational marriage of Old World ingredients and New World techniques give the Clontarf whiskeys a style of their own. As tradition dictates, only the finest grain and purest Irish spring water are used in the delicate distillation process. Clontarf is then mellowed through Atlantic Irish oak charcoal. Finally, Clontarf is gently aged in New World bourbon barrels giving a silky soft texture to this fine range of Irish whiskeys."
This fine spirit offers up the sharp tang of a distant sea breeze which then brings in an aftertaste of the morning salt with hints of a very mild grass-like maltiness. This over-rich taste finishes with an oak complexity that is uebercomplex.
If/When I find bottles of this, I will move heaven (and earth) to obtain them.
To put it simply: I enjoy each dram of this fine elixir without pause!
The Ranger