Writers Tears Tequila Cask Finish (47%)

It is no secret that I am a fan of the Amber Beverage Group’s Writers Tears line of Irish whiskeys. I have declared my fondness for several of their expressions numerous times, including in these pages, and gave their Inniskillin Ice Wine Cask Finish a ‘Critic’s Choice’ designation when I reviewed it for WineAlign in late 2022.

And so it continues with the company’s latest release, the first-ever Irish whiskey to be finished in tequila casks. Dramatic in its packaging, and impressive in its price tag, I approached the sample with a certain degree of trepidation, notwithstanding the brand’s rather outstanding track record. Tequila barrels are tricky things to manage, at least in my tasting experience, and finding the right balance, whether in beer or whisky or rum, is no easy task.  

Thankfully, Writer’s Tears once again proves up to the challenge. Bright gold in colour, the nose of this unique expression sports an immediate and unmistakable whiff of agave, the sort of grassy, vegetal aroma that will be quickly identifiable to aficionados of 100% agave tequila. And were that it for this spirit, well, I’d be happy but not necessarily overly impressed. But there is a lot more to this whiskey, a whole lot more. 

The impressive thing I find about the nose is the way the tequila notes integrate with the pot still whiskey aroma, creating something that is most definitely more than simply the sum of its parts. The aroma doesn’t so much shift between fragrances of grain, barrel, and agave as it wafts back and forth and in and out, interweaving subtle hints of vanilla and spicy agave, which then gently meld with honey and cereal, mingle in layers of stone fruit, and ultimately all returns to peppery vanilla with hints of baking spice. All told, it makes for a lovely olfactory exploration.

The palate entry is sweet with peach and apricot up front, but segues in short order into a spicier body with pepper and honey, baked apple and freshly cut grass, light oak and a hint of candied citrus. The finish brings forward the tequila barrel notes, but not at the expense of the lovely honeyed fruit of the whiskey, all lingering most enjoyably in a warming, spicy embrace.

The question was raised recently as to whether cask-finished whiskies are in fact flavoured whiskies, and while I can appreciate the argument in favour, I must cast my vote in the negative. For if a finishing barrel qualifies as ‘flavouring,’ shouldn’t also the original barrel, be it ex-bourbon or ex-sherry or even virgin toasted oak? All casks are impacting the whiskey in one way or another, and I find it a rather indefensible position to suggest that a finishing cask is somehow a lesser or more gimmicky element than is the basic aging cask.

And at any rate, if finishing the already commendable Writer’s Tears whiskey in tequila barrels to produce a spirit of such impressive complexity and integrity is ‘flavouring,’ then I say bring it on!

 92 ($127 - $135)