Founded in 2003 by three close friends Denis McCarthy, Ger McCarthy & John O’Connell in Union Hall, West Cork, Ireland; West Cork Distillers was inspired by the proud history of artisan food & beverage production in Cork. The trio had some experience of this in their previous occupations, as Ger & Denis were deep sea trawlermen and John was a research & development scientist for some large blue chip food & beverage companies.
WCD’s first forays into distillation weren’t with whiskey, however, but with lighter brown spirits. In 2007, the trio made Dromberg by fortifying the fermentation of sugarbeet and malt, before infusing oak shavings using a method developed by O’Connell in Dennis McCarthy’s garage in Union Hall. Lough Hyne followed this up, which was made by the same process but instead fortified up to 30 per cent alcohol, and matured with Irish and Bourbon cask oak.
Flaming Pig Black Cask is a blend of Irish single malt and single grain whiskey which has enjoyed a finishing period in intensely charred first-fill bourbon casks. This heavy charring helps to develop a subtle smokiness, while keep the rich, caramelised sweetness to the fore.
Distillery West Cork Distillers
Bottler Distillery Bottling
Bottling serie Small Batch Irish Whiskey
Cask type finished in 1st-fill charred bourbon casks
€37Original price was: €37.€34.50Current price is: €34.50.
Tasting Notes
Colour: Golden amber. This is an inference based on the bourbon-cask marriage and standard presentation of the whiskey.
Nose: Malt, dried fruit, and balanced sweetness. This is supported by the official flavour profile.
Palate: Spirituous, malty, and fruit-led, with dried fruit and orange peel carrying through strongly. This is supported by the official flavour profile and reviewed retailer descriptions.
Finish: Bold, warming, and lingering, with orange peel, malt, and dried fruit notes staying present through the close. This is supported partly by the official flavour profile and partly inferred from the cask strength style.
€27Original price was: €27.€25.95Current price is: €25.95.
Tasting Notes
Colour: Golden amber. This is an inference based on the bourbon maturation and Calvados cask finishing.
Nose: Fresh fruit dominated by apples and white pear, with a hint of almond. This is supported by the official tasting notes.
Palate: Dried fruit associated flavours, with vanilla and almonds also coming through. This is supported by the official tasting notes.
Finish: Medium, gently fruity, and slightly drying, with apple, pear, malt, and soft almond notes lingering through the close. This is supported partly by official flavour notes and partly by reviewer tasting summaries.
€27Original price was: €27.€25.95Current price is: €25.95.
Tasting Notes
Colour: Golden amber. This is an inference based on the bourbon maturation and port cask finishing.
Nose: Dried fruit with spice notes of nutmeg and black pepper, with vanilla and toffee also present. This is supported by the official tasting notes.
Palate: Sweet, with dried fruit pulling through strongly, making this the sweetest of the core cask-finish offerings. This is supported by the official tasting notes and reviewed retailer descriptions.
Finish: Medium, sweet-fruited, and gently spicy, with the dried fruit and warming spice notes lingering through the close. This is supported by reviewed tasting descriptions and partly inferred from the official palate note.
€27Original price was: €27.€25.95Current price is: €25.95.
Tasting Notes
Colour: Golden amber. This is an inference based on the bourbon maturation and rum cask finishing, supported by retailer descriptions of a golden tone.
Nose: Honey, vanilla, caramel, and chocolate, with slight fruit showing as a mix of fresh and dried fruit. This is supported by the official tasting notes.
Palate: Roasted flavours such as coffee, toast, and chocolate, with a smooth, slightly sweet, cask-led character. This is supported by official and reviewed tasting descriptions.
Finish: Dry, balanced, and gently lingering, with the sweeter opening notes fading into roasted flavours. This is supported by official tasting notes and retailer descriptions.
€27Original price was: €27.€25.95Current price is: €25.95.
Tasting Notes
Colour: Golden amber. This is an inference based on the bourbon maturation and sherry cask finishing.
Nose: Dried prunes, fig, sherry, and vanilla notes. This is supported by the official tasting notes.
Palate: Sweet at the beginning, then drying out with spice and pepper showing through. This is supported by official and reviewed tasting descriptions.
Finish: Short to medium, dry, and gently spicy, with the early sweetness fading into pepper and sherry-led dryness. This is supported by reviewed tasting descriptions and partly inferred from the official palate note.
