W.D. O'Connell Family Reserve 20 Year Old Rum Cask #90969
Regarded as some of the finest releases from W.D. O'Connell Whiskey Merchants and a sneak peek into the future of the distillery, the Family Reserve series is a celebration of their successes and contributions to the whiskey scene in Ireland. Made from some of founder Daithi O'Connell's favourite casks, this Family Reserve release is matured in a first-fill ex-bourbon cask for 16 years and then matured for an additional 4 years and 5 months in an ex-rum cask. Distilled in 2002 at the Cooley Distillery, County Louth. Limited to just 100 bottles released.
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W.D. O'Connell Family Reserve 20 Year Old Rum Cask #90969
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The product details are for information purposes only. It is no longer available for sale, but you may be able to find in on our auction site.
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Tasting Notes from Celtic Whiskey Shop and Wines on the Green
Finish
The tropical fruit finish is spicy, dry & long.
Tasting Notes from the Producer
Aromas (without water)
Rich toffee combines with fresh tropical fruit
Flavour
Tropical fruit continues in the mouth with soft vanilla and sweet & spice.
Fact Sheet
Fluid
70cl
Maturation
Matured in a first fill ex-bourbon cask for 16 years. Matured an additional 4 years 5 months in an ex-rum cask.
Number Of Bottles Released
100 bottles
Alcohol %
54%
Style
Single Malt
Country
Ireland
Producer
W.D. O'Connell Whiskey Merchants
FAQs
Irish whiskey is most honestly assessed neat at room temperature in a tulip glass, where the full aromatic profile can develop. Adding a few drops of room temperature water to a pot still or single malt expression above 46% ABV opens the ester character and integrates the oak. Over a large ice sphere it becomes a more contemplative drink that evolves as the temperature rises. Avoid adding ice to aged or premium expressions: the cold contracts the spirit and suppresses the complexity you paid for.
Yes. Irish whiskey is distilled from a grain mash, typically malted barley with or without unmalted barley, grain, or corn, and the distillation process removes gluten proteins to below detectable levels. All major Irish whiskey producers including Irish Distillers, Midleton, Teeling, and Bushmills consider their products gluten free under current food safety standards. Individuals with clinically confirmed coeliac disease should consult their medical advisor before consuming any grain distilled spirit.
The most consistently excellent Irish whiskeys across price points are Redbreast 12 Year Old as the benchmark single pot still, Yellow Spot 12 Year Old for sherry cask complexity, Midleton Very Rare for aged prestige, and Teeling Single Grain as an underrated value option. For under €40, Powers Gold Label and Jameson 18 Year Old represent excellent value for their respective categories. The single pot still style using both malted and unmalted barley is Ireland's most distinctive and most rewarding contribution to world whiskey.
Irish whiskey is a legally defined spirit produced on the island of Ireland from a yeast fermented grain mash, distilled to under 94.8% ABV, and matured for a minimum of three years in wooden casks on the island of Ireland. The five recognised styles are single malt, single grain, single pot still, blended, and blended malt. Triple distillation, used by the majority of Irish producers, and the use of a proportion of unmalted barley in the single pot still style are the defining technical characteristics of the category.
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