Cooley Distillery Connemara 12 Year Old Peated Single Malt
Connemara · Cooley Distillery
Connemara remains the standard-bearer for peated Irish whiskey, and the 12-year expression adds a maturity and roundness the core release lacks. The extra time in wood tempers the peat into something elegant and layered. It's a compelling argument that smoke and Irish whiskey are not mutually exclusive traditions.
Nose
Gentle peat smoke intertwined with orchard honey and dried fruit. A floral rosewater note lifts the heavier elements, while a thread of vanilla and malt sweetness runs throughout.
Palate
Creamy and medium-bodied with a peaty core wrapped in caramel and almond. The smoke is measured — present but never harsh — and allows the whiskey's inherent honeyed character to remain front and center. Hints of clove spice and cocoa emerge late.
Finish
Medium length with lingering peat smoke, fading into woody warmth and a trace of earthy minerality.
- Distillation
- Double distilled in copper pot stills
- Maturation
- Minimum 12 years in ex-bourbon casks
- Single Pot Still
- No
- Chill-Filtered
- Chill filtered
Cocktail Suggestion
Peat & Honey — 2 oz Connemara 12 · 0.5 oz honey syrup · 0.5 oz fresh lemon juice · 2 dashes orange bitters · Shake with ice and strain into a chilled coupe. Garnish with a thin apple slice.
Food Pairing
Smoked trout with a dill and mustard sauce
Produced at Cooley Distillery on Ireland's east coast, Connemara was the vision of John Teeling, who revived the near-extinct tradition of peated Irish malt whiskey starting in the late 1980s.
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Connemara 12 Year Old Peated Single Malt Irish Whiskey
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Connemara 12 is the rare Irish whiskey that uses peat as a structural beam rather than a wrecking ball. Twelve years in wood have softened the smoke into something almost creamy, making it the ideal bottle for anyone curious about peated Irish whiskey without the Islay intensity. A bridge dram with genuine character.
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