By Alex Southgate
Rating: B
I have to say it’s been relatively unusual in my experience to find a whiskey that I’d call a “grower.” Generally you know whether you like something or not straight away, simply because that’s how taste works. In the case of the single malt by Dingle that I’ve been sampling recently, however, this isn’t necessarily true. I’m really glad that I was able to review this scotch over several glasses because I think if I’d only had one to base my thoughts on my grade may have been quite different.
Dingle Single Malt is mainly six to seven year old spirit which has been matured in PX Sherry and Bourbon first-fill casks. Interestingly, Dingle are one of only a few Irish distillers that do not buy or sell to other distilleries, producing solely their own spirit.
This expression from Dingle has been designed to be versatile. The fact that it can be enjoyed just as much as a base for high-end cocktails as it can neat over ice means that it should appeal to a fairly wide audience.
The Whiskey
On the pour Dingle is a very deep honey color. You don’t get much idea what it’s going to look like from the bottle but in the glass it’s very inviting. This is quite an oily whiskey which, rather than leaving legs, noticeably coats the sides of the glass and leaves a visible line behind as it settles.
This is a very potent smelling single malt. The first notable scent you get from Dingle is licorice. There is a very pronounced hit of anise. This is followed by citrus notes that pair nicely with the earthy tones of dark chocolate. These heavy notes subside and soften to finish with creamy butterscotch.
The first thing I notice to the taste is very obvious grapefruit sourness. This is coupled with lemon and is almost a shock to the palette. This is followed by bitter notes of dark chocolate. The finish for me is both herbaceous and savory, pairing fresh mint with mixed spices.
I wouldn’t call the profile in Dingle, “bright” and I think this might be what put me off at first. This is a very deep, dark whiskey that relies on heavy, earthy tones to carry it and as such I might call it more of an acquired taste. While the sourer notes embolden the flavor I’m not sure they life it as such, rather making it more punchy. I would advise anyone to bare with this whiskey. I found it somewhat unusual to begin with, but it definitely gets better the more you drink. As your taste buds get used to the sharp, dry flavors it rapidly becomes a very tasty savory tipple.
The Price
Dingle Single Malt is coming in at around the £45 mark per 70cl bottle for those of us here in the UK.