Single Pot Still American First Fill Bourbon Barrel 2023

200 litres | Cask 455255 | Distilled 13.07.2023 | Bond Code CW000879

Great Northern Distillery

200 Litres Triple Distilled Single Pot Still Cask Great Northern Distillery New Make in a first-fill Bourbon cask. 

 
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. 

Triple distilled whiskey is what Ireland has become most famous for but it’s triple distilled single pot still that is unique. Single Pot Still spirit is made by using a combination of malted and unmalted barley. Other cereals can be added but on this occasion it is a mix of the two types of barley. The unmalted barley gives the spirit its oily & spicy character. The triple distillation gives a mellow more fragrant character.

Triple Distilled Single Pot Still Production

You could say that Single Pot Still Whiskey was an early tax avoidance scheme. A tax was introduced in 1785 on the use of malted barley, so by using 50% unmalted barley the tax bill was dramatically reduced. Although this tax was later repealed, the popularity of the style remains to this day. Great Northern Distillery source Irish barley some of which is malted in Ireland. The grains are wet milled, breaking open the grains to form a grist. Mashing is when this grist is mixed with hot water in the lauter tun which then turns the starch into a sugary liquid called wort. The wort is then converted into a beer-like liquid once yeast is added. The yeast converts the sugar into alcohol and it's now called wash. The wash is then triple distilled in Great Northern’s giant copper pot stills. The spirit is put into cask at 63% abv and in this occasion will be casked in a first fill American Bourbon barrel.

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

Aromas: A good fruity signature with aromas of almonds, plum jam, hazelnut paste, linseeds, apricots, apples and pears. 

Palate: Soft, mouth-filling and already showing some maturity. Flavours of morello cherries, amaretto, almonds, plums and damsons. 

Finish: Red fruits and a gentle touch of spice