As we approach St. Patrick’s Day, it seems timely to explore some Irish whiskeys.
Two
Stacks Whiskey Co. is a whiskey brand founded in 2020 by Shane McCarthy,
Liam Brogan, and Donal
McLynn. It is one of only a handful of
independent bonding and blending facilities in Ireland.
“Our unique approach to working with some of Ireland's leading distilleries; selecting the finest spirit distilled across the Island allows us to create incredible expressions of whiskey never crafted nor tasted before. We continue to build our reputation on top of three key fundamentals and to help shape the future in Irish whiskey: Transparency, Creativity, and Innovation.” – Two Stacks
I’ve
had a handful of prior experiences with Two Stacks – all of which have been
excellent – including its Dram in a
Can offerings. Yeah, they put whiskey in a
can, and it is the same whiskey you’ll get from the bottled version.
One
of the things I admire about Two Stacks is how transparent it is. They’ll tell
you everything you would ever want to know (as well as information you didn’t
think of). If I listed everything disclosed, it would make my review more of a
technical paper!
Speaking
of reviews, I’m exploring The First Cut – Signature Blend today. It fits
Ireland’s Blended Irish Whiskey category and is comprised of the
following whiskey types:
- 40% Grain Whiskey (former Bourbon cask aged, 95% French maize, 5% Malt)
- 40% Grain Whiskey (virgin American Oak cask aged, 95% French maize, 5% Malt)
- 8% Pot Still Whiskey (50% Malted Barley, 50% Unmalted Barley)
- 10% Double-Distilled Malt Whiskey (100% Irish Malted Barley)
- 2% Peated Malt Whiskey (100% Scottish Peated Malt)
All
of the individual whiskeys were aged at least four years, with some up to
seven. As I said, Two Stacks shares plenty of other details, but that would
become tedious. The First Cut Signature Blend is available in 700ml bottles for
$37.99 and 100ml cans for $4.99. It is packaged at 43% ABV (86°). It is
non-chill filtered and naturally colored.
Two
Stacks was kind enough to provide samples of The First Cut Signature Blend in
exchange for my no-strings-attached, honest review. Let’s #DrinkCurious and
taste how this one turned out.
For
the record, I’m using the bottled version.
Appearance: I
poured this whiskey into my Glencairn glass and sipped it neat. The bright,
golden liquid created a medium-thick rim, generating thicker, widely-spaced
tears.
Nose: After
letting the whiskey breathe for about 15 minutes, I brought the glass to my
nose and inhaled. Smells of grilled pineapples, pears, peaches, molasses, and vanilla
were easily identifiable. Drawing the air into my mouth, I found brown sugar.
Palate: The
creamy, dense whiskey rambled across my tongue and down my throat. The smoky
peat was the first thing I noticed, despite it being only 2% of the blend. My
second sip made the texture seem even thicker, and I tasted butterscotch and pineapples
along with that smokiness. The middle included notes of sesame, brioche, and black
tea. Flavors of toasted oak, nutmeg, and black pepper were on the back of my
palate.
Finish: The
First Cut Signature Blend had one of those Energizer Bunny finishes. There was
plenty of spice with oak, black pepper, and sesame. The sweetness you’d expect
from Irish whiskey was also present with pineapples and vanilla. The smoky quality
carried through its entirety, which lasted 4:03.
Bottle, Bar, or Bust: Each
sip I took thickened the mouthfeel exponentially – it was unbelievable. At 86°,
my hard palate had a numbing sensation – I also found that unusual. I typically
enjoy Peat, and I was surprised by how prominent it was with this Irish
whiskey.
The First Cut Signature Blend
was amazingly well-balanced and flavorful. Two Stacks usually offers cask-strength
versions of some of its whiskeys. That wasn’t an option with today’s subject.
That’s probably a good thing because, honestly, it would be unneeded.
For $38.00, Two Stacks
offers a stupidly great Irish whiskey that’s beyond what most folks would
expect. I love it. I believe you will, too. Grab a Bottle; you won’t be
disappointed. Cheers!
My Simple, Easy-to-Understand
Rating System
- Bottle = Buy It
- Bar = Try It
- Bust = Leave It
Whiskeyfellow encourages you to enjoy your whiskey as you see fit
but begs you to do so responsibly.
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