Glendalough Double Barrel
Glendalough Distillery (Mark Anthony Brands) · Glendalough Distillery, County Wicklow
The double barrel treatment here is a study in how fire shapes wood, and wood shapes whiskey. The first-fill bourbon barrels — charred by fire before they ever held spirit — give the Glendalough its vanilla and caramel backbone. The Oloroso sherry casks — toasted to a different specification — add dried fruit and chocolate complexity.
Nose
Vanilla custard, dried apricot, milk chocolate, Christmas spice, with a subtle honeyed sweetness underneath
Palate
Smooth and inviting — caramel, dark chocolate, dried fruit, clove, toasted almond, with the sherry cask adding a velvety richness
Finish
Medium-length with warm cocoa, gentle spice, and a honeyed fade
- Distillation
- Column distilled for a clean, light spirit
- Maturation
- First-fill American bourbon barrels (3.5 years), finished in Spanish Oloroso sherry casks (6 months)
Cocktail Suggestion
Cocktail — The Wicklow Sour: 2 oz Glendalough Double Barrel · 0.75 oz fresh lemon juice · 0.5 oz honey syrup · 1 egg white. Dry shake vigorously, then shake with ice, strain into a coupe. Garnish with a lemon twist.
Food Pairing
Pair with: Dark chocolate truffles dusted with cocoa powder — the sherry cask finish and chocolate create a seamless bridge.
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