Pineapple bananza

As has now become customary, when every year we celebrate Ireland and its whiskey on the occasion of St Patrick’s Day, we enlisted the help of our friends at Dunville’s Whiskey just across the North Channel to help us find something suitable for our members. When the Whisky Team tasted the samples of the agreed recipes, we were split. Not because of polarising flavours or lack of enthusiasm. Simply because we were all smitten with the samples, but we each favoured a different recipe. A good problem to have, to be sure, but a problem still, as there could be only one winner. Nevertheless, we lost absolutely no sleep over selecting this single malt, even if that meant two other whiskeys just as good would not see the light of day.

So, what did we pick this time? We went for a triple distilled single malt from Ireland, matured in a combination of bourbon and oloroso sherry casks, Batch 38: Pineapple bananza. How does it differ from the previous offerings, you ask? Well first it’s not quite as heavy on the sherry as Batch 23: Shimmering silk or Batch 29: Caramel cascade. Here the bourbon casks are working in tandem with the triple distilled single malt whiskey to deliver a heavyweight fruity mix of green melon, pineapples, pear drops and satsuma wedges. The American oak also provides a thick texture to this dram, adding opulence to the malty depth.

It would be wrong to assume that the addition of bourbon casks in this recipe fully tamed the sherry influence. Indeed, the Jerez wine casks still provide the sensory backdrop to this single malt. The aromatic and flavour spectrums of this dram are a testament to that. On the nose, tinned pineapple in oloroso sherry, prunes, dairy chocolate and orange zest all clearly mark this as a fairly sherried dram. This is confirmed on the neat palate with orange liqueur and chocolate lime flavours and on the diluted nose with leather, blackcurrant fruit leathers and dried cherries. All in all, a very well-balanced dram.

Though both bourbon and sherry form a delightful backdrop of complex, varied flavours, the spirit is by no means playing second fiddle to cask influences, with a tropical fruit influence showcasing the boons of triple distillation. It’s anyone’s guess where this whisky was distilled, but it certainly provides a very satisfying experience. At 50% abv, it can still take water, which is always a good sign, allowing members to try this malt with a bit of water to awaken more aromatic experiences without having their drink feel underpowered.

If you’re lucky enough to still have a bottle of Shimmering silk and Caramel cascade on your shelf, this is a great opportunity to pour these drams side by side for a first-hand comparison of different Irish single malts, to take in the differences and similarities that triple distillation can yield. Though the process is not completely absent from Scotch whisky distilling, with a handful of distilleries producing at least a small part of their output in that style, it’s by no means commonplace. So, these drams provide a satisfying insight into what to expect from the road not (quite) taken by Scotch whisky producers.

There’s much to say and to look forward to with this new addition to our clear glass, 50% abv range of unconventional Society releases. But don’t take it from me, as Euan Campbell, head of whisky creation, puts it: “This whiskey is a fantastic continuation of our small-batch Irish releases. Full bodied, massively fruity and a wonderful balance struck between bourbon and sherry casks. I can't wait to dive in.” And I’m more than inclined to agree.

Irish whiskey is not often on the Society’s shelves, but when it is, it’s always worth taking a peek at how they do things in the Emerald Isle, and what flavours their distilling magic can conjure up.
In a nutshell, if you’re after something different, or a bit of exoticism or maybe just looking for a wee bit of excitement, this is a bottle to add to your collection, drink in good company, or both.

Your taste buds will thank you for it, presumably your friends too, but that’ll be up to their own tastes. Anyway, I know I will enjoy sipping a dram of Batch 38: Pineapple bananza, its opulent malty fruitiness conjuring up vivid memories of summer and lush tropical greenery.  

Find out more about Pineapple bananza and all of the Society’s ‘Heresy’ small-batch bottlings at https://smws.com/all-whisky/whisky/heresy