46% abv
10 years in ex-Bourbon and 2-3 year Finish in PX butts and Hogsheads.

Dunville’s Irish Whiskey…..what can i say about thee…

Let’s start this off with a bit of personal history fist and then bring the facts of this bottle. I have a deep personal connection with Dunville’s that stretches back over a century. My great-grandfather emigrated to Canada in 1906 and stories circulate that he enjoyed the odd tipple from time to time. The original Dunville’s brand of whiskey was a favourite of his before he left what is now present day Northern Ireland.

I found out this information a few years ago when I stumbled upon a beautifully labelled bottle of Irish Whiskey in a green bottle. This was the Dunville’s 10 year VR PX. I instantly fell in love with everything about this whiskey. From the gorgeous floral themed label with the word BELFAST displayed, to the absolutely gorgeous whiskey inside. A 10 year Irish Whiskey that had a short yet beautiful and impactful Pedro Jiminez finish that instantly grabbed my attention and never let it go. Sadly, not long after finding this whiskey I was told it had been discontinued. Tears ensued. Then the folks at Echlinville Distillery (who resurrected the Dunville’s name and brand) reached out to tell me they were releasing a 12 year version to replace the 10 year. It did take longer than anyone would have liked to reach the “shores” of Alberta but it has finally arrived and I for one am celebrating for not just this 12 year but there are a couple other Dunville’s releases that accompanied it to Canada’s whisk(e)y mecca that is Alberta. Oh and by the way, as you can see in these photos, the bottles and labels are still as gorgeous as ever.

In the glass: Greeted by a deep gold and maybe a touch of red or pink hue. A most inviting colour to be sure. With a slight twirl of the glass, I have to wait a decent amount of time for legs to even appear, and when they do, they sit idle for a significant amount of time. When they do fall, they are even and very slow. Surely a sign of things to come. 

Nose: OOOOOOOH there it is, so familiar yet not the same. It starts off almost tropical citrus fruit sweet. Papaya and mango and even some slight notes of peaches. This rather quickly slides to more of a strawberry or ripe cherry pie note. And then the beautiful PX influence comes in strong. Citrus peels and sweet raisins (like the ones in cereals) followed by a nutty coffee note like a fruity dark roast thats been freshly ground. The spices come next with a touch of cinnamon and baking spices. Like Christmas at Grandma’s a couple days before Santa’s visit and she is hard at work prepping all the baking and food that will very soon disappear. I love a solid PX influence on an Irish whiskey nose. A bit of the citrusy fruits and some toffee/caramel along with a touch of old leather in a shop at the very end of the nose. Its everything I loved about the nose on the former 10 year but amped up and stronger. If the palate follows suit I will be in Irish Whiskey heaven.

Palate and finish: The very first thing I notice when I just sip a tiny amount to get my palate ready is the mouthfeel. It sits heavy in the mouth in weight not in hotness. In fact the 46% thats this is bottled at might be the perfect abv (if you aren’t going to bottle it straight from the cask). The first note I find is caramel drizzled apple slices. And it’s inviting for more and more. The Irish malt comes through next and I can taste some grass and maybe a hint of tea. A switch is flipped and instantly a sherry oak note comes through, firing on all cylinders. It’s spicy PX all the way. Baking spices and sweet cinnamon with a touch of dryness from the oak. The orange citrus note makes a comeback followed by that PX raisin note and even a bit of light red fruits like strawberries again. The one consistent thing from start to finish is the creamy mouthfeel and this takes it straight through to the finish. This lasts on the palate long after I swallow. The spice/oak tannin tames down and I find a nice nuttiness hanging around.  It’s still drying but my upper cheeks are still tingling with sweet spice. The nuttiness, sweetness and creamy feel meld into a double double coffee note.

Conclusion

I won’t deny I went into this one already expecting to drink a very fine Irish whiskey. What I will say is even my high expectations were blown away. The PX finish on this one has so much more of a varied influence on the whiskey than the former 10 year. It isn’t nearly as sweet either, which I like, as it truly let the various notes come and go without fighting through a blanket of sweetness. This was just the neck pour as well, so i feel that as it opens and maybe evolves a bit it might, just might, get even better. This unfortunately seems to be a limited release here in Canada, or Alberta anyways, so if you were humming and hawing over this, go grab one right now. Dark Cloud seal of approval.

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