English grocer, Sainsbury’s Dún Léire Aged 8 Years Single Malt, has been named Irish Whiskey of the Year in Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible 2011. It is the first time a supermarket brand has gained top country honors in The Whisky Bible. Produced by the Cooley Distillery for Sainsbury’s Jim Murray said, “this is Cooley at its best and a very astute and masterful piece of whiskey buying.”
Nose 24 points: again followed by some stunning malt. Everything dissolves: you don’t have to do anything but close your eyes and enjoy, indeed: marvel…but it is hard work to stop yourself chewing.
Finish 23.5 points: Dries slightly, but the bitterness threatened on the label fails to materialize…thankfully. The fruit and barley ride off into the sunset in tandem.
Overall Balance & Complexity 24 points: When I read “notes of bitter orange” on the label I feared the worst and expected a sulphurous whiskey. Well maybe there is a molecule or two hanging around, but so minor is it, it is impossible to tell exactly where it comes from. This is one of the great whiskeys from Cooley, ever. And as a supermarket Irish…unsurpassed. One of the surprise packages of world whisky for 2010. Magnificent. 40%
Sainsbury’s Dún Léire Aged 8 Years Single Malt
Awarded 95.5 Points Whisky Bible 2011
