Single Grain First Fill American Bourbon Barrel TR

200 Litres | Cask 438360 | Distilled 26/05/2023 | Bond Code CW000811

Single Grain Cask Great Northern Distillery New Make First Fill American Bourbon Barrel. 68% ABV

New make spirit in first fill bourbon casks are ordered regularly from Great Northern distillery. 

 
About First Fill Bourbon Casks

First-fill ex-Bourbon barrels are the most commonly used casks for Irish whiskey maturation. They give highly consistent and predictable maturation characteristics without overpowering the natural flavour of the spirit too much. Once bottled you can expect fresh and fruity flavour characteristics with notes of vanilla and gentle spice. These casks are well-suited to all whiskey styles and the 200 litre size makes them easy to store and transport. First-fill Bourbon Barrels are also one of the most economical cask types with a good cost versus quality ratio. 

Single Grain Whiskey is mainly used in blends in Ireland and forms the backbone of most well known brands. However, Single Grain whiskey can be delicious when aged in quality casks and given time to mature.

Single Grain Production

At Great Northern Distillery, the Irish grain spirit is produced from maize and lesser amount of Irish malted barley. The grains are hammer milled at the distillery before mashing takes place to produce a wort. Fermentation takes place in the stainless steel washbacks when yeast is added to the wort. Once the yeast converts the sugar into alcohol the wort turns into what’s known as wash. The wash is then distilled in the three large vertical continuous stills. The distillation ABV is 94% before being reduced to 68.5% using pure reverse osmosis water. The spirit is then casked in first fill American Bourbon casks which hold approx. 200 litres.

Tasting note of a 3 year-old single grain from Great Northern that was matured in a first fill bourbon cask.

Aromas: Fruity and herbal aromas. Touches of mint, limes, almonds, pears, green apples, pineapple skin, guava and passion fruit. 

Palate: Soft and fruity but with a slight prickle of spice and minty herbs. Flavours of fresh herbs, green pineapple, agave syrup, vanilla and ginger. 

Finish: Mellow and spicy with a little spice and oak tannin.