Glendalough 13-year-old

Name: Glendalough 13-year-old
Brand: Glendalough
SKU: 103715
Rating: 86.17 (304 reviews)

Overall rating: 86.17/100
votes: 304

Whiskybase ID: WB103715
Category: Single Malt
Distillery: Glendalough Distillery
Bottler: Distillery Bottling
Bottling serie: Mizunara Finish Single Malt
Bottled: 2017
Stated Age: 13 years old
Casktype: Bourbon Barrels +Mizunara Oak Puncheon Finish
Strength: 46.0 % Vol.
Size: 700 ml
Bottle code: 13718
Barcode: 0797776782444
Added on: 18 Nov 2017 11:25 am by Candide

Average value

€ 203.13

Found 3 online shops. Lowest price:

€ 145.00

	Buy in the Market	€ 159.00

	Whiskys.co.uk	£ 175.00

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Whisky Reviews for Glendalough 13-year-old

74 users have left a review for this whisky and scored it an average of 86.17 points

Hemdl scored this whisky 89 points
07 Mar 2018 7:29 pm
By far the most unusual malt I've had in my glass for a long time - and I like it. So something different, but overall really nice. A true exotic, which can score with its fruity notes and extreme contrasts. I like him!

Nose

Well that's definitely an unusual nose, which will be remembered. Extremely fruity and sweet, with an extremely unusual base note. I have the exotic fruits like pineapple, peaches, lychee as well as syrupy honey and the peach schnapps which one likes to get from the Chinese. Behind it also a spicy pastry note that reminds me of the spice cake for Christmas and also a strong anise note.
It's guaranteed to split people's minds, but in my nose I find it refreshingly different and really good.

Taste

Sweet-fruity again, although not quite as intense as in the nose (that would have been only fruit juice could afford). Light and spicy woody notes blend in a pleasant way with the exotic fruit notes (also here lychees, peaches and maybe some pineapple). Add to that a sweetness, as I know only from cane sugar, without being really annoying or overpowering. Instead, it lays like a light veil on the wood notes and thus provides an astonishingly "easy-going" character. Enclosed also a present note, which I can not really grab or name. Whether this is the sandalwood note that is often mentioned here? Definitely but very unusual.

Finish

Medium long, slightly astringent. Fortunately, without any real bitterness, the fruity-sweet basic tendency of the malts can set even more accents, before the more dry-spicy wood notes take over.
hs305 scored this whisky 83 points
19 Feb 2019 9:11 pm
[February, 2019] This is my first Glendalough and I am curious about it...

...and it is a very strange beast, indeed, Quite unusual aromas and flavours provide an interesting tasting experience but most of these notes are not to my liking (because they taste rather artifical). I strongly suggest to have a sample dram first before buying a full bottle - there is a thin line between love and hate...

Nose

85 85

The colour is jonquiripe corn and the nose offers a fruity and wood-driven modern profile with spices and autumn floral notes. The wood smells indeed different to american or european (or caucasian) oak with a minor perfumy note (slightly soapy, but not unpleasantly). Quite an interesting experience but not my favourite style because the fruits vanish quickly and the strange wood gets to dominant.

Taste

83 83

The taste is dominated by an artifical fruity flavour that reminds me of fruit gums of my childhood (remember MAOAM?). It is not bad at all but you have to like it (I do not). Besides this there are a lot of bitter nutty (almonds, walnuts and more) and spicy (cloves, nutmegs) flavours. Water releases bready (sourdough) notes in the nose and turns the taste even more bubble-gumish (and flatter). I like the neat dram best.

Finish

82 82

The dram arrives warming but not coating on the palate with a somewhat strange artifical mouthfeel that is a combination of plastic and metal elements. The finish is of medium length and adds some sweeter toffee-vanilla flavours that are highly welcomed to sooth the overall bitterness. It gets rather drying-astringent with again these artificial notes of plastic-wrapped metals.
dRambo scored this whisky 88 points
21 Mar 2018 11:12 pm
He is fresh - different - the nose is indeed "strange" but exciting - I could deal with that very much - after 4cl it is enough but first - to 60 € that was a good PLV more than 80? in 2018 I will not pay for it

Nose

Soup vegetables with herbs, cinnamon bark, bay leaf, sage, thyme tea, a lot of mint, resinous, waxy rosemary, resinous pine wood, retsina resin, wood oil / varnish, canabis, furniture polish, juicyfruit chewing gum, fruity sour apple and sugar melon, honey-sweet - overripe mango, also mango kernels and peel - overall - fresh, spicy and intense.

Taste

kind of artificial, furniture polish, resin, very spicy, subtle fruit notes, sweet, jelly bananas, while chewing juicyfruit chewing gum, cumin and clove oil, soap, banana, sage, chocolate and coffee - nice smooth texture

Finish

very peppery, spicy, fresh, dry oak - resin and sweetness - medium-long, it creates just like that, if you chew for a while. -Where the resinous wood is very long on the palate.
Pollenflug scored this whisky 90 points
21 Mar 2018 5:16 pm
Conclusion and pictures on: https://tomtrinkt.de

Nose

The first nose is extremely unusual, exciting and very interesting. I like the aromatic composition right away. For over half an hour, I've devoted myself only to the nose and have gained the following impressions: Exotic fruits (especially peach, pineapple and a little coconut), fresh orange peel, citrus fruits, hints of vanilla and a good portion of honey dominate on the sweet side , Essential oils, fresh resin, plenty of spices (Christmas spirit, perhaps with aniseed, ginger and coriander), hard-to-define herbs, nuts and a very intense and unusual wood note (sandalwood?) Determined the hard side. All flavors together form a wonderfully harmonious nose, which has a tremendously high recognition value. The alcohol is very well integrated.

Taste

Oily and powerful onset. The spices (ginger) and strong wood notes cause a noticeable tingling on the tip of the tongue. The sweet exotic fruits merge with the heavy notes, which have already been hinted at in the nose and underline here also the great characteristics of the malts. Peaches, mangos, pineapple, a hint of coconut, vanilla, caramel and honey flood the palate with essential oils, Christmas spices, herbs, fresh resin and plenty of sandalwood. Citrus fruits make for a slightly sourish sting. Bitter almonds and milk chocolate follow.

Finish

Medium to long, warming and sweet-fruity-spicy. The fruity-sweet notes rear up for the last time and form with the essential oils, spices and strong sandalwood notes a nice finish. The palate produces a slight dryness and delicate bitterness.
EinSpatzUnterVielen scored this whisky 87 points
27 Jan 2018 4:49 pm
Tasty, tasty and exceptional in terms of flavors. Should you have tasted it when lure an exotic finish. I would like to have it with 3-4 years more in the glass. But you should like sandalwood, because that is very extreme.

Nose

Actually, the first is sandalwood. I know the smell from my long ago tea room time when sandalwood incense candles were totally "in". The first time I smell that at a malt (but I do not know anything about Japanese malts). In addition yellow drupes, sunlit apricots and peaches, and - actually - resin from the peach tree (I had yesterday in a real Chinese dessert, freshly flown ingredients from southern China) as well as lychee, coconut, vanilla, cocoa and freshly baked sponge cake - totally exotic Nose definitely, delicious and exceptional

Taste

oily, warm-spicy, intensive onset, soft, again the very strong sandalwood notes, the peach tree resin, the yellow drupes, peach and lychee, with ginger, cloves and nutmeg, then cocoa, finally some espresso and Darjeeling tea, and also the sponge cake is here

Finish

warm-spicy, medium-long, especially the exotic sandalwood and resin notes remain long, the spices stick felt eternally on the tongue, at the very end comes back to the coconut, along with the sponge cake and the baking cocoa
Mannix65 scored this whisky 89 points
12 Jan 2018 10:12 pm
a liquid table full milk nut - extremely soft and tasty

Nose

Milk chocolate and nuts, light nougat, red grapes, a hint of cassis, fresh bay leaves, some caraway and anise, yet delicate and elegant

Taste

Chocolate fountain of light milk chocolate, very creamy, nutty, red grape juice with honey, in the background again the laurel

Finish

mild, soft, medium long .... and full of milk chocolate
anonymerlemur scored this whisky 87 points
10 Jun 2020 6:21 pm
This saffron-colored malt is a fruit bomb through and through. It is extremely reminiscent of banana spilt or pina colada.

Nose

90 90

Very intense and complex smell: pina colada, fresh fruit, macedonia, lemon juice, artificial strawberries and artificial banana
The smell is by far the best of this whiskey. Even a Speysider can usually not keep up with the fruit notes. Despite the young age, there are many different smells.

Taste

87 87

In essence, there are few different notes from smell to taste. However, the taste is much less intense. Perhaps this is also the reason why only fewer aromas can be listed.
Banana, coconut, gummy bears (artificial candy flavors)

Finish

85 85

The finish is even less intense. So the whiskey is very pleasant to drink.
artificial sweets, chocolate and very slightly bitter.
Othorion scored this whisky 87 points
12 Aug 2018 8:57 pm
Very unusual whiskey, but I like it, although nothing for every day or easy drinking! However, he can not quite keep the high level of the nose in the mouth and finish.

Nose

Great nose, exotic fruit cocktail, sweet and yummy, Lychee, pineapple, peach, oranges, a touch of glue but quickly vanishes, delicate vanilla, vegetable soup?!?, Sandalwood, sugar beet juice, thyme, mint, with neat forest honey

Taste

Creamy, fruity, spicy, lychee, ginger, peach, cocoa, black tea, mangoes, herbs, very unusual, but delicious, a little watery in the end

Finish

Medium, warming and spicy, with sandalwood, cocoa, black tea
Arquebus scored this whisky 92 points
05 Apr 2018 6:34 pm

Bought a bottle on Ralfy's recommendation (See You tube Ralfy Review 718 90pts). Just been to Japan where the Mizunara (Japanese Oak) casks were made - so I was intrigued to taste this one. 13yo 1st fill bourbon with Mizunara cask finish.

I've had one glass 25ml (honest!) And just ordered a couple more bottles. 92 pts from me is high, but I was very impressed with this one.

Initial impression what bourbon whiskey on the nose. Just a different profile to Scotch, then it opened - the nose on it went mad! Nice complexity.

Nose: Bourbon notes, 'Irish notes' (like Bushmills / or Powers), oak spices, vanilla, very distinctive sweet perfumed note. Our father had them in his coffee. I imagine freshly squeezed sugar cane juice might smell a little like this sweetness. it settles down a little and then you get big wafts of pear drops. A sprinkle of earthiness and then deep intense dry nutty sherry notes - walnuts

Its a delicate, juicy arrival. Bitter sweet / dry in the mouth. Brittle, fresh, mouthwatering. A savory sweetness with a lot of woody spice, but very well balanced and a huge finish.

For me - a very characterful and unusual whiskey.

Apparently Mizunara Oak is difficult to work with in the cooperage? Mizunara in Bruichladdich might be interesting - a distillery and Malt I'm more familiar with! Drop staves are no no with the SWA apparently, but if the oak is that rare and difficult to make into barrels it would be a lot more economical and make it go a lot further? If not I'm sure they could knock some cask ends with Mizunara oak.
whiskyinstitut scored this whisky 87 points
26 Mar 2018 11:19 pm
He is different, not one hundred percent round, but great.

Nose

Vanilla, mango ice cream, light grapes, spicy oak, grated coconut, peach, a slight touch of ginger, slowly coming through, citrus notes become more dominant, old wall unit, popcorn

Taste

Creamy vanilla, sparkling citrus notes, spicy oak, grape sweetness, lemon zest, the oak spice is slowly becoming bitter

Finish

Oak spicy, vanilla sweet, slightly bitter, creamy on the palate

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