McConnell's - Blended Irish Whisky 5 Years Old (750ml)

The perfect blend between malted barley & grain and the special handpicked bourbon barrels add a delicate and subtle sweetness with a deep oak woodiness & light char to the finish.

Nose: Light citrus notes, peppered spice and vanilla undertones. 

Taste: Earthy fruits, butterscotch & vanilla sweetness from the bourbon casks, white pepper followed by an oak woodiness. 

Finish: Sweet, spice, oak, with lingering ripe fruits. 

ABV: 42%

It all started in 1776, when the McConnell family of Belfast began selling their whisky to the public. It quickly became one of the most sought-after spirits in Ireland, and to keep up with demand, the McConnells built a distillery: a sprawling, buzzing compound on the banks of the River Lagan. The next 154 years would be spent dedicated to a single pursuit: producing the finest whisky in all of Ireland. Many whisky drinkers believed that they achieved their goal, making McConnell’s the most famous Irish whisky of the time.

But what about that “e “? Back in the 1900’s, adding the “e” was a way for Irelands distillers to differentiate themselves however McConnell’s, already an iconic brand with 125 years of production, decided to keep with tradition – no “e” in whisky, Slainte!

Best Buy

McConnell's was born in 1776 and went dark in the early 1900s following a distillery fire and the advent of Prohibition. In 2020, the brand was resurrected. What's in the bottle is a five-year-old blended whiskey, showing honey and coconut aromas. The palate offers golden raisin, red apple and vanilla, leading into a clove and pepper finish punctuated by a final cigar smoke exhale. Yes, the label says “whisky” without the “e,” defying Irish whiskey convention. Kara Newman, 3/1/2023. 

Aromas of honey, vanilla extract, dried banana, and clove, with green herbal notes of parsley stems and kale. Dark sugar sweetness, vanilla, baked citrus, clove, and peppercorn flavors, though the spices don't overwhelm the mellow mouthfeel, and it rounds off with vanilla toffee, sliced banana, herbal grain notes, and lingering spice. Worth getting to know this whiskey well to appreciate its full potential. Jonny McCormick, Summer 2020.